SBIR Phase I: Environmental Impact Mitigation of Herbicide Runoff via Sequester and Controlled Release from Polymer/Layered?Material Composites

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目研究了除草剂释放的新型控制释放方法的可行性，这种方法将大大限制农业径流造成的污染。这项研究利用了天然的层状矿物质，这些矿物质能够将除草剂隔离并随后逐渐释放到土壤或树叶中；并将研究开发缓释剂的可行性，该缓释剂将在关键的强降雨事件中防止除草剂的溶解和径流。此外，研究工作将检查利用强化工艺制备所提议的复合材料的可行性，该工艺在室温下进行，只涉及一个步骤，不产生副产品，并使所提议的产品对最终客户具有很高的成本效益。这项研究的更广泛的影响将是开发具有成本效益的产品，以减轻农业径流（我国最重要的污染源之一）对环境的影响，并将减轻随之而来的对我国渔业的附带损害（环境和经济）。客户，如苗圃、温室种植者和农民，将从这项研究产生的产品中获得几个好处：一种延迟的、控释的产品可能潜在地消除多次使用除草剂的需要，将最大限度地减少工人接触有害除草剂的机会，可能潜在地限制或消除除草剂径流到邻近的流域，并可能提供显著的成本节约。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project examines the feasibility of novel controlled release methods of herbicide delivery that will significantly limit pollution due to agricultural runoff. The research utilizes natural layered minerals that are able to sequester and later release herbicides gradually into soils or foliage; and will examine the feasibility of developing time-delayed release agents that will prevent dissolution and runoff of herbicides during critical heavy rainfall events. Further, the research effort will examine the feasibility to utilize an intensified process to prepare the proposed composites, a process which is carried out at room temperature, involves only a single step, produces no by-products, and renders the proposed product highly cost-effective for its end customers. The broader impacts of this research will be development of cost-effective products that mitigate the environmental impact of agricultural runoff (one of our nations most significant sources of pollution), and will mitigate the concomitant collateral damage (both environmental and economic) to our nations fisheries. Customers, such as nurseries, greenhouse growers and farmers, will derive several benefits from products resulting from this research: a time-delayed, controlled-release product may potentially eliminate the need for multiple applications of herbicides, will minimize exposure of workers to harmful herbicides, may potentially limit or eliminate herbicidal runoff to adjacent watersheds, and may provide significant cost-savings.