Enkapsulasi dan Pelepasan Terkendali Pupuk NPK 16-16-16 berbasis Poliuretan

Abstract

Pupuk komersial dinilai belum efisien dalam mendistribusikan unsur hara pada tanah dan tanaman, sehingga enkapsulasi pupuk menjadi pupuk lepas terkendali diharapkan dapat mengontrol pelepasan unsur hara lebih efisien dan menekan biaya pengeluaran. Pupuk CRF dienkapsulasi dengan metode rotary drum coat menggunakan pupuk padat NPK 16-16-16 yang dilapisi polimer poliuretan dari pencampuran isosianat dan poliol dengan variasi konsentrasi 6, 8, dan 10% b/v. Pengujian karakteristik CRF menunjukkan kadar air di bawah 3%, peningkatan nilai crushing strength dan ketebalan pelapis seiring meningkatnya konsentrasi pelapis. Selama 90 hari, pelepasan unsur hara diukur dengan metode spektrofotometri UV-Vis untuk fosfor dan spektrofotometri serapan atom untuk kalium, dengan hasil fosfor berturut-turut 95,80; 94,67; dan 92,12% dan kalium berturut-turut 31,32; 39,21; dan 29,21%. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut, proses enkapsulasi pupuk berhasil dilakukan dengan variasi konsentrasi yang menunjukkan perbedaan hasil yang tidak signifikan

Commercial fertilizers are considered inefficient in distributing nutrients to the soil and plants. Therefore, encapsulating fertilizers into Controlled Release Fertilizers (CRF) is expected to better control nutrient release, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. CRF was encapsulated using the rotary drum coating method with solid NPK 16-16-16 fertilizer, coated with polyurethane polymer formed from a mixture of isocyanate and polyol at varying concentrations of 6%, 8%, and 10%. Characteristic testing of the CRF showed a moisture content below 3%, increased crushing strength, and thicker coatings as the coating concentration increased. Over 90 days, nutrient release was measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry for phosphorus and atomic absorption spectrophotometry for potassium, with phosphorus results of 95.80%, 94.67%, and 92.12%, and potassium results of 31.32%, 39.21%, and 29.21%, respectively. Based on these results, the encapsulation process was successfully carried out, with varying concentrations showing no significant differences in outcomes.