Brazilian researchers at the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Brazilian Farm Research Corporation (Embrapa), the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the North Fluminense State University (Uenf) are working on a greenhouse gas emission reduction process that adds certain minerals to fertilizers.
Nitrogenous fertilizers (most of which use the nitrogenous compound urea which creates an ammonia substance that ascends into the atmosphere) are notorious sources of greenhouse gas emissions. It has been discovered that by adding zeolite to the fertilizer such emissions are sharply reduced.
According to the researchers, what happens is that zeolite “encloses” nitrogenous substances and ammonia, liberating them slowly, minimizing the effect they have on the atmosphere.
ABr