Utilization of Spent Ion-Exchange Resins for Soil Reclamation

Abstract

Investigations concerned the effect on plant productivity in sand of a small addition of the standard ion-exchange substrate Biona-312, compared with alternative additions of the ion-exchange substrate Mp and a mixture of NPK monoionic forms—the latter both prepared from used ion-exchangers. The addition to sand of 2% v/v of the Biona-312 substrate increased the total orchard-grass yield 9.78-fold, and the total yield of birds-foot trefoil 6.47-fold. The effect of adding the Mp substrate and NPK monoionic forms was also very pronounced (with yields 1.66 to 4.49 times greater than in the control), although more limited than that obtained with the standard substrate Biona-312. The results therefore confirmed that additions of fertilizers prepared from used ion-exchangers are of value in the recultivation of degraded soils—something that allows the benefits of utilizing spent ion-exchangers to be combined with those of soil reclamation.