Surfactant coated products and methods for their use in promoting plant growth and soil remediation

Abstract

Novel mixed agricultural compositions, and methods for their use are disclosed. The agricultural compositions are prepared by a process comprising mixing together a carrier, such as a solid fertilizer or liquid solvent, and a carbohydrate-based surfactant, such as AGRIMUL PG 2069 (Henkel, Dusseldorf, Germany). For example, 8 quarts of surfactant were mixed with one ton of a solid fertilizer. The carrier material can further comprise biologically active agents such as herbicides, insecticides, chemosterilants, nematicides, and fungicides. These mixed agricultural compositions are used to promote the growth of plants in soil and enhance soil bioremediation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An agricultural composition prepared by a process comprising mixing together a carbohydrate-based surfactant and a soil additive.  
     
     
         2 . The agricultural composition of  claim 1 , wherein the soil additive comprises an aqueous or non-aqueous liquid solvent.  
     
     
         3 . The agricultural composition of  claim 1 , wherein the soil additive is a solid material.  
     
     
         4 . The agricultural composition of  claim 3 , wherein the soil additive comprises a powdered, particulate, granular, or pelleted form.  
     
     
         5 . The agricultural composition of  claim 4 , wherein the soil additive is a fertilizer, anti-caking agent, pesticide, or combination thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The agricultural composition of  claim 5 , wherein the fertilizer is ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium polyphosphate, calcium nitrate, calcium sulfate, diammonium phosphate, triple super phosphate, single super phosphate, lime or limestone, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate, monoammonium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, potassium magnesium sulfate, sulfate of potash, sodium nitrate, sulfur-coated urea, borax, pelleted fertilizers, fertilizers coated for slow release, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The agricultural composition of  claim 4 , wherein the soil additive is diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate, corn cob particulate, bentonite clay, vermiculite, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The agricultural composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is an alkyl polyglycoside, alkyl glucoside, fatty acid glucamide, sucrose fatty acid ester, or sorbitan fatty acid ester.  
     
     
         9 . The agricultural composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is represented by the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Wherein (y) is an integer from about 7 to about 21; (z) is any number between about 1 and about 10; and (x) is defined as a carbonate group, ethercarboxylate group, ether group, ethoxylate group, ester group, hydrogen atom, isethionate group, quaternary group (e.g. a quaternary amine), sulfate group, or sulfosuccinate group.  
     
     
         10 . The agricultural composition of  claim 9 , wherein (y) is from about 7 to about 14, (z) is between about 1.0 and about 1.8, and (x) is an hydrogen atom.  
     
     
         11 . The agricultural composition of  claim 3 , wherein between about 400 grams and about 7700 grams of the surfactant are applied to each U.S. ton of solid soil additive.  
     
     
         12 . The agricultural composition of  claim 3 , wherein between about 400 grams and about 2900 grams of the surfactant are applied to each U.S. ton of solid soil additive.  
     
     
         13 . The agricultural composition of  claim 3 , further comprising a drying agent.  
     
     
         14 . The agricultural composition of  claim 12 , wherein the drying agent is calcium sulfate or bentonite clay.  
     
     
         15 . The agricultural composition of  claim 1 , further comprising an insecticide, a herbicide, a nematicide, a fungicide, or a chemosterilant or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         16 . A method of promoting the growth of plants in soil comprising: 
 obtaining an agricultural composition comprising a carbohydrate-based surfactant and soil additive; and applying the agricultural composition to soil.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein, the soil additive comprises an aqueous or non-aqueous liquid solvent.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the soil additive is a solid material.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the soil additive comprises a powdered, particulate, granular, or pelleted form.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the soil additive is a fertilizer, anti-caking agent, pesticide, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the fertilizer is ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium polyphosphate, calcium nitrate, calcium sulfate, diammonium phosphate, triple super phosphate, single super phosphate, lime or limestone, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate, monoammonium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, potassium magnesium sulfate, sulfate of potash, sodium nitrate, sulfur-coated urea, borax, pelleted fertilizers, fertilizers coated for slow release, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the surfactant is an alkyl polyglycoside, alkyl glucoside, fatty acid glucamide, sucrose fatty acid ester, or sorbitan fatty acid ester.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the surfactant is represented by the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Wherein (y) is an integer from about 7 to about 21; (z) is any number between about 1 and about 10; and (x) is defined as a carbonate group, ethercarboxylate group, ether group, ethoxylate group, ester group, hydrogen atom, isethionate group, quaternary group (e.g. a quaternary amine), sulfate group, or sulfosuccinate group  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein (y) is from about 7 to about 14, (z) is between about 1.0 and about 1.8, and (x) is an hydrogen atom.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein between about 400 grams and about 7700 grams of the carbohydrate based surfactant are applied to each U.S. ton of soil additive.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein between about 400 grams and about 2900 grams of the carbohydrate based surfactant are applied to each U.S. ton of soil additive.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the agricultural composition is applied at a rate of between about 125 pounds per acre and about 1000 pounds per acre.  
     
     
         28 . A method of bioremediation of soil comprising: 
 obtaining an agricultural composition comprising a carbohydrate-based surfactant and soil additive; and applying the agricultural composition to soil.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the surfactant is an alkyl polyglycoside, alkyl glucoside, fatty acid glucamide, sucrose fatty acid ester, or sorbitan fatty acid ester.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the surfactant is represented by the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Wherein (y) is an integer from about 7 to about 21; (z) is any number between about 1 and about 10; and (x) is defined as a carbonate group, ethercarboxylate group, ether group, ethoxylate group, ester group, hydrogen atom, isethionate group, quaternary group (e.g. a quaternary amine), sulfate group, or sulfosuccinate group.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein (y) is from about 7 to about 14, (z) is between about 1.0 and about 1.8, and (x) is an hydrogen atom.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the soil additive comprises an aqueous or non-aqueous liquid solvent.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the surfactant is applied to soil at a rate of between about 25 grams and about 3800 grams per acre.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the surfactant is applied to soil at a rate of between about 25 grams and about 1500 grams per acre.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the solid additive comprises a powdered, particulate, granular, or pelleted form.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the soil additive is a fertilizer, anti-caking agent, pesticide, or combination thereof.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the soil is contaminated with a pesticide.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the pesticide is an herbicide, insecticide, growth regulator, toxicant, bactericide, molluscicide, chemosterilant, rodenticide, avicide, nematicide, acaricide, algicide, fungicide, predicide, or any variant or combination thereof.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the pesticide is atrazine or trifluralin.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the agricultural composition is applied at a rate of between about 125 pounds per acre and about 1000 pounds per acre.