NBPT Urease Inhibitor Formulation via DMSO Solvent System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing NBPT formulations face issues with thermal stability, toxicity, and environmental safety due to the use of solvents like N-methyl pyrrolidone, which are hazardous and lead to ammonia losses from urea fertilizers, necessitating the development of safer and more environmentally friendly solvent systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a solvent in combination with protic components such as glycols and alkanolamines to create formulations that enhance NBPT stability, reduce toxicity, and improve handling properties, while also reducing ammonia emissions from urea fertilizers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If N-methyl pyrrolidone is used as a solvent for NBPT formulations, then NBPT solubility and formulation stability are improved, but toxicity and environmental safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes N-methyl pyrrolidone from the formulation and replaces it with water and alternative solvents. This extraction of the harmful component eliminates the toxicity issue while maintaining NBPT solubility through the new solvent system comprising water, alcohols, and other compatible solvents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the solvent composition parameters by reducing or eliminating N-methyl pyrrolidone content and increasing water content. This parameter change transforms the formulation from a toxic organic solvent-based system to a water-based or reduced-organic-solvent system that maintains stability without the harmful effects.
2Ease of operation
If conventional solvents are used in NBPT formulations, then handling and application are simplified, but environmental safety and worker protection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts hazardous organic solvents from the formulation and replaces them with water and safer alternative solvents. This maintains ease of handling and application while eliminating environmental and worker safety concerns associated with conventional organic solvents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts water as the primary solvent, which is inexpensive, readily available, and environmentally benign. While water has different handling characteristics compared to organic solvents, it eliminates the need for special safety precautions and environmental disposal requirements, effectively making the formulation safer and easier to manage in terms of regulatory compliance.
3Ease of manufacture
If urea fertilizer is applied without urease inhibitors, then nitrogen delivery is simple and cost-effective, but ammonia losses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates NBPT as a urease inhibitor into the fertilizer formulation before application. This preliminary action prevents urea hydrolysis and ammonia volatilization by inhibiting the urease enzyme, thereby reducing ammonia losses while maintaining the simplicity of fertilizer application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses NBPT as an intermediary substance that mediates between urea and soil urease. The NBPT binds to the urease enzyme, preventing it from catalyzing the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia, thus acting as a protective intermediary that reduces ammonia losses without complicating the fertilizer application process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The DMSO-based formulations demonstrate improved chemical stability, reduced toxicity, and enhanced handling characteristics, allowing for higher NBPT loading and effective ammonia emission reduction, making the fertilizer more efficient and safer for use.
Implementation Method 1
NBPT is a solid chemical substance, which is dissolved in a suitable solvent to allow application at low levels in the field
Implementation Method 2
This invention proposes formulations of mixtures containing aprotic and protic solvents which are more environmentally friendly and are safer for workers to handle than known NBPT solutions
Data Source
AI summary
An improved solvent system for the formulation and application of N-alkyl thiophosphoric triamide urease inhibitors. These formulations provide safety and performance benefits relative to existing alternatives and enable storage, transport and subsequent coating or blending with urea based or organic based fertilizers. These formulations are comprised primarily of environmentally friendly aprotic and protic solvents (particularly dimethyl sulfoxide and alcohols/polyols) to stabilize the urease inhibitor.