The Use of Ionizing Radiation to Prepare Polymeric Agro-Waste Composite for Sandy Soil Application

Abstract

The aim of this work is to prepare a hydrogel from polyacrylamide (PAAm) and rice straw (RS) to absorb and retainthe irrigatedwater in the desert lands, conservation of the environment and to optimize the use of natural resources by recycling rice straw using either ionizing radiation or thermal treatment. The first method: Study the exposure of PAAm and the composite of PAAm/ RS to the ionizing radiation (gamma irradiation) to prepare PAAm/ RS hydrogel, which has a high capacity to absorb water so that it can be used to increase the retention of sandy soil for water and cultivation of large areas with a small amount of water.