Facile synthesis, release mechanism, and life cycle assessment of amine-modified lignin for bifunctional slow-release fertilizer

Biomass-based slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) are a sustainable solution for addressing food scarcity, improving fertilizer efficiency, and reducing pollution, whereas they still face complex preparation, high costs, and low release characteristics. This study introduces a simple and innovative approach to producing bifunctional green SRFs with controlled release and conditioning properties for saline soils and harsh environments. The method involves a one-pot preparation of microsphere-structured amine-modified lignin slow-release fertilizer (L-U X ) using biomass lignin as the starting material. The L-U X demonstrates an exceptional fertilizer loading rate (66.2 %) and extended slow-release performance (288 h), effectively enhancing the fertilizer's release ability. Compared to traditional fertilizers, the bifunctional L-U X significantly improves soil water retention capacity (824.3 %), plant growth, and germination percentage in challenging soil conditions (133 %). These findings highlight the potential of L-U X as a large-scale controlled-release fertilizer in harsh environments. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was also conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of L-U X from its production to disposal. This revealed that L-U X has a minimal environmental footprint compared to conventional inorganic fertilizers. This study further supports the widespread application of L-U X as an environmentally friendly alternative.