Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer
The reuse of saline water through drip irrigation presents a sustainable solution to water scarcity, but fouling and emitter clogging are significant obstacles to broader adoption. While fertilization is known to play a key role in fouling, the combined effects of saline water and fertilizer on foul...
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Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016425001616 |
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| author | Changjian Ma Weijie Chen Bowen Li Enkai Cao Yan Li Zeqiang Sun Yang Xiao Yunkai Li |
| author_facet | Changjian Ma Weijie Chen Bowen Li Enkai Cao Yan Li Zeqiang Sun Yang Xiao Yunkai Li |
| author_sort | Changjian Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The reuse of saline water through drip irrigation presents a sustainable solution to water scarcity, but fouling and emitter clogging are significant obstacles to broader adoption. While fertilization is known to play a key role in fouling, the combined effects of saline water and fertilizer on fouling and clogging remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the impact of five nitrogen fertilizers—urea phosphate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, calcium nitrate, and ammonium bicarbonate—on emitter performance and fouling in saline water drip irrigation systems. The results show that urea phosphate, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride reduce fouling by 78 %, 54 %, and 34 %, respectively, compared to the control with no fertilization. These fertilizers mitigate fouling by suppressing the formation of calcite, aragonite, and dolomite precipitates, while also preventing particle flocculation, such as quartz and feldspar. In contrast, calcium nitrate and ammonium bicarbonate exacerbate fouling, increasing it by 46 % and 96 %, respectively, due to their promotion of both crystalline and particulate fouling substances. This study highlights the effectiveness of urea phosphate, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride in minimizing fouling and emitter clogging, offering key insights for advancing fertigation technologies in saline environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5708eb8abdb140ae95345320b68e9099 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-0164 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-5708eb8abdb140ae95345320b68e90992025-08-20T03:29:15ZengElsevierCase Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering2666-01642025-12-011210125410.1016/j.cscee.2025.101254Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizerChangjian Ma0Weijie Chen1Bowen Li2Enkai Cao3Yan Li4Zeqiang Sun5Yang Xiao6Yunkai Li7State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, China; National Center of Technology Innovation for Comprehensive Utilization of Saline-Alkali Land, Institute of Modern Agriculture on Yellow River Delta of SAAS, Dongying, 257347, ChinaCollege of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China; Corresponding author.College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, ChinaCollege of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, ChinaCollege of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China; Corresponding author.College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, ChinaThe reuse of saline water through drip irrigation presents a sustainable solution to water scarcity, but fouling and emitter clogging are significant obstacles to broader adoption. While fertilization is known to play a key role in fouling, the combined effects of saline water and fertilizer on fouling and clogging remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the impact of five nitrogen fertilizers—urea phosphate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, calcium nitrate, and ammonium bicarbonate—on emitter performance and fouling in saline water drip irrigation systems. The results show that urea phosphate, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride reduce fouling by 78 %, 54 %, and 34 %, respectively, compared to the control with no fertilization. These fertilizers mitigate fouling by suppressing the formation of calcite, aragonite, and dolomite precipitates, while also preventing particle flocculation, such as quartz and feldspar. In contrast, calcium nitrate and ammonium bicarbonate exacerbate fouling, increasing it by 46 % and 96 %, respectively, due to their promotion of both crystalline and particulate fouling substances. This study highlights the effectiveness of urea phosphate, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride in minimizing fouling and emitter clogging, offering key insights for advancing fertigation technologies in saline environments.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016425001616FertigationFouling issueFertilizer selectionEmitter performance |
| spellingShingle | Changjian Ma Weijie Chen Bowen Li Enkai Cao Yan Li Zeqiang Sun Yang Xiao Yunkai Li Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering Fertigation Fouling issue Fertilizer selection Emitter performance |
| title | Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer |
| title_full | Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer |
| title_fullStr | Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer |
| title_short | Reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer |
| title_sort | reducing fouling and emitter clogging in saline water drip irrigation systems by choosing suitable nitrogen fertilizer |
| topic | Fertigation Fouling issue Fertilizer selection Emitter performance |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016425001616 |
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