Properties of Hydrogels and Environmental Factors Affecting Their Degradation Rate
https://doi.org/10.21266/2079-4304.2025.256.198-212
Abstract
Water scarcity represents a critical global issue for many areas of activity, including agriculture and forest reclamation, both of which are pivotal for optimizing soil water regimes, mitigating erosion and enhancing soil organic matter content. For instance, forest reclamation activities require advanced technologies to improve water availability for transplanted seedlings. One such approach involves the application of superabsorbent polymers, commonly referred to as hydrogels. Hydrogels exhibit a broad spectrum of applications, spanning medicine, agriculture, construction, wastewater treatment, and land reclamation. Within the root zone, hydrogels function as moisture reservoirs, absorbing water and releasing it gradually over extended periods, thereby stabilizing the water balance in the rhizosphere. However, it is critical to acknowledge that once introduced into the soil, hydrogels persist for a duration dictated by their resistance to microbial degradation. Over time, they may lose their swelling capacity, potentially remaining in the soil in a degraded state, necessitating the periodic supplementation of new hydrogel doses. Given the continued utilization of hydrogels and their recurrent introduction into the environment, particularly into soils, it is imperative to evaluate their resistance to biodegradation. Considering that our current knowledge regarding hydrogel fragmentation in soils is limited and predominantly theoretical, it is essential to investigate specific environmental conditions and properties of the hydrogels themselves, that govern the fate of hydrogels in soil systems and their implications for ecosystem functionality.
About the Authors
O. D. Pozharskaya
St.Petersburg State Forest Technical University; St. Petersburg Research Center of the Russian Academy of Science
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
POZHARSKAYA Olesya D. – PhD student of the Ecology, Anatomy and Physiology of Plants Department; research assistant
194021. Institute per. 5. St. Petersburg
199034. Universitetskaya emb. 5. St. Petersburg
Yu. V. Khomyakov
St.Petersburg State Forest Technical University; Agrophysical Research Institute
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
KHOMYAKOV Yuriy V. – Associate Professor of the Ecology, Anatomy and Physiology of Plants Department; head of the Laboratory of Biochemistry of Soil and Plant Systems
194021. Institute per. 5. St. Petersburg
195220. Grazhdanskiy av. 14. St. Petersburg
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Review
For citations:
Pozharskaya O.D., Khomyakov Yu.V. Properties of Hydrogels and Environmental Factors Affecting Their Degradation Rate. Izvestia Sankt-Peterburgskoj lesotehniceskoj akademii. 2025;(256):198-212. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21266/2079-4304.2025.256.198-212
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