Onjiniyela baseMADISON University of Wisconsin-Madison benze izinzwa zomhlabathi ezingabizi kakhulu

U-Shuohao Cai, umfundi ofundela ubudokotela kwisayensi yenhlabathi, ubeka i-sensor rod ene-multifunction sensor sticker evumela izilinganiso ekujuleni okuhlukahlukene emhlabathini e-University of Wisconsin-Madison Hancock Agricultural Research Station.
I-MADISON - Onjiniyela baseYunivesithi yaseWisconsin-Madison baye bahlakulela izinzwa ezingabizi kakhulu ezinganikeza ukuqapha okuqhubekayo, kwesikhathi sangempela se-nitrate ezinhlotsheni zenhlabathi ezivamile zaseWisconsin. Lezi zinzwa ze-electrochemical eziphrintiwe zingasiza abalimi ukwenza izinqumo zokuphatha izakhi ezinolwazi futhi bathole izinzuzo zezomnotho.
"Izinzwa zethu zinganikeza abalimi ukuqonda okungcono kwesimo somsoco wenhlabathi yabo kanye nenani le-nitrate elitholakala ezitshalweni zabo, zibasize banqume ngokunembile ukuthi badinga umanyolo ongakanani ngempela," kusho uJoseph Andrews, uprofesa osizayo e-Harvard University. Ucwaningo beluholwa yiSikole Sobunjiniyela Bemishini eNyuvesi yaseWisconsin-Madison. "Uma bengakwazi ukunciphisa inani likamanyolo abawuthengayo, ukonga izindleko kungabaluleka emapulazini amakhulu."
I-nitrate iyisakhi esibalulekile ekukhuleni kwezitshalo, kodwa ama-nitrate amaningi angaphuma emhlabathini futhi angene emanzini angaphansi komhlaba. Lolu hlobo lokungcola luyingozi kubantu abaphuza amanzi angcolile futhi luyingozi emvelweni. Inzwa entsha yabacwaningi ingasetshenziswa futhi njengethuluzi locwaningo lwezolimo lokuqapha ukukhishwa kwe-nitrate nokusiza ukuthuthukisa izindlela ezingcono kakhulu zokunciphisa imiphumela yayo eyingozi.
Izindlela zamanje zokuqapha i-nitrate yenhlabathi zidinga abasebenzi abaningi, ziyabiza, futhi azinikezi idatha yesikhathi sangempela. Kungakho uchwepheshe wezinto zikagesi eziphrintiwe u-Andrews nethimba lakhe bazimisela ukwakha isisombululo esingcono, esingabizi kakhulu.
Kule phrojekthi, abacwaningi basebenzise inqubo yokunyathelisa ye-inkjet ukuze benze inzwa ye-potentiometric, uhlobo lwenzwa ye-electrochemical encane yefilimu. Izinzwa ze-Potentiometric zivame ukusetshenziselwa ukukala ngokunembile i-nitrate ezixazululweni eziwuketshezi. Kodwa-ke, lezi zinzwa ngokuvamile azifaneleki ukusetshenziswa endaweni yenhlabathi ngoba izinhlayiya ezinkulu zomhlabathi zingaklwebha izinzwa futhi zivimbele ukukalwa okunembile.
"Inselele enkulu esasizama ukuyixazulula kwakuwukuthola indlela yokwenza lezi zinzwa ze-electrochemical zisebenze kahle ezimweni ezinzima zenhlabathi futhi zithole ngokunembile i-nitrate ions," kusho u-Andrews.
Isixazululo seqembu kwakuwukubeka ungqimba lwe-polyvinylidene fluoride kunzwa. Ngokuka-Andrews, le nto inezici ezimbili ezibalulekile. Okokuqala, inezimbotshana ezincane kakhulu, ezingaba ama-nanometer angu-400 ngobukhulu, ezivumela ama-nitrate e-nitrate ukuba adlule kuyilapho evimba izinhlayiya zenhlabathi. Okwesibili, i-hydrophilic, okungukuthi, idonsa amanzi futhi iwamunce njengesipontshi.
"Ngakho-ke noma yimaphi amanzi acebile nge-nitrate azongena ngokuncamelayo ezinzwa zethu, okubaluleke ngempela ngoba inhlabathi nayo ifana nesipontshi futhi uzolahlekelwa impi mayelana nomswakama ongena ku-sensor uma ungakwazi ukuthola ukumuncwa kwamanzi okufanayo. Amandla omhlaba," kusho u-Andrews. "Lezi zakhiwo zongqimba lwe-polyvinylidene fluoride zisivumela ukuthi sikhiphe amanzi anothile nge-nitrate, siwahambise endaweni yezinzwa futhi sithole ngokunembile i-nitrate."
Abacwaningi bachaze inqubekelaphambili yabo ephepheni elishicilelwe ngoMashi 2024 kujenali Advanced Materials Technology.
Ithimba lihlole inzwa yalo ezinhlotsheni ezimbili zenhlabathi ezihlukene ezihlotshaniswa ne-Wisconsin-inhlabathi enesihlabathi, evamile ezindaweni ezisenyakatho-maphakathi nesifunda, kanye ne-silty loams, evamile eningizimu-ntshonalanga ye-Wisconsin-futhi lathola ukuthi izinzwa zikhiqize imiphumela enembile.
Abacwaningi manje sebehlanganisa inzwa yabo ye-nitrate ohlelweni lwezinzwa olusebenza ngezindlela eziningi abalubiza ngokuthi “isitikha sezinzwa,” lapho izinhlobo ezintathu zezinzwa zifakwe endaweni yepulasitiki eguquguqukayo kusetshenziswa i-adhesive backing. Izitikha ziqukethe nezinzwa zokuswakama nezinga lokushisa.
Abacwaningi bazonamathisela izitika zezinzwa ezimbalwa esigxotsheni, bazibeke ezindaweni eziphakeme ezihlukene, bese begqiba isigxobo emhlabathini. Lokhu kusetha kwabavumela ukuthi bathathe izilinganiso ekujuleni kwenhlabathi okuhlukene.
"Ngokulinganisa i-nitrate, umswakama kanye nezinga lokushisa ekujuleni okuhlukene, manje singakwazi ukulinganisa inqubo ye-nitrate leaching futhi siqonde ukuthi i-nitrate ihamba kanjani enhlabathini, okwakungenakwenzeka ngaphambili," kusho u-Andrews.
Ehlobo lika-2024, abacwaningi bahlela ukubeka izinsimbi zezinzwa ze-30 enhlabathini e-Hancock Agricultural Research Station nase-Arlington Agricultural Research Station eNyuvesi yaseWisconsin-Madison ukuze baqhubeke nokuhlola inzwa.