APPLICATION OF SUPERABSORBENT POLYMERS IN THE AGRICULTURE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR BIODEGRADABILITY - A REVIEW.

This article aims to bring to light a relatively new strategy to ameliorate some problems that the agricultural sector faces in the current situation at a global level, such as water scarcity, drought, continuous degenerative processes of the soil or even the diseases caused by plant pests. One of the novel solutions that can be applied to balance the current situation is represented by the using of biodegradable superabsorbent polymers, due to their capacity, representing a reservoir able to store water, nutrients, or pesticides and then release them a constant flow, ensuring an optimal and beneficial ratio at the soil and plant level. They have numerous beneficial properties and advantages, being found in a multitude of fields, one of the most critical properties being represented by their biodegradability. Currently, the most "green" methods are being sought for obtaining these superabsorbents polymers to be used on a large scale and presenting a ratio of biodegradation as high as possible and no ecotoxicity after their application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]