The efficacy of polyacrylamide to reduce nutrient movement from an irrigated field

LA EFICACIA DEL POLIACRILAMIDO PARA REDUCIR EL MOVIMIENTO DE NUTRIENTES DESDE UN CAMPO IRRIGADO

Entry, J.A. and Sojka, R.E. (2003) The efficacy of polyacrylamide to reduce nutrient movement from an irrigated field. Transactions of the ASAE. 46(1):75-83.

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Abstract

Irrigation-induced erosion contributes to elevated sediment and nutrient concentrations in irrigation return-flow
water. Polyacrylamide (PAM) is an effective flocculent widely used to reduced soil erosion. We hypothesized PAM would
reduce transport of sediment and nutrients in surface irrigation water flowing over soil. We measured nutrients in irrigation
inflow and runoff water and total and extractable nutrients in sediment transported from agricultural fields. Treatments
were: (1) PAM application and no PAM (control), (2) three flow rates (7.5, 15.0, and 22.5 L min- 1), (3) distance along the
furrow (1 m below the inflow point and 40 m down furrow), and (4) time during irrigation (0.5, 3.5, and 6.5 h after initial
inflow). After irrigation water flowed 40 m, water flowing in furrows receiving PAM treatments reduced the NO3-
concentration in runoff by 85% and the total P concentration in water by 90% compared to runoff water in furrows without
PAM, regardless of flow rate. Mass export of NH4 +, NO3-, dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), total P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn,
Cu, B, and Zn in untreated irrigation runoff water increased as the flow rate increased from 7.5 to 22.5 L min- 1. Export of
these nutrients, via sediment carried by untreated irrigation runoff water, increased from 2 to 5 fold as the flow rate increased
from 7.5 to 22.5 L min-1. After water flowed 40 m, transport of these extractable nutrients was reduced from 10 to 40 fold in
PAM-treated furrows. With proper application, PAM reduces nutrient loss from furrow-irrigated agricultural fields,
protecting surface water and groundwater quality.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1096
Subjects:	Polyacrylamide (PAM) > Water-soluble PAM (WSPAM) Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:50
Last Modified:	09 Nov 2016 17:45
Item ID:	154
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/154