Natural silt as the alternative of fertilizers in agriculture / Amirah Kamaliahhuda Roslan ... [et al.]

Main objective of this study was to analyse the minerals that contain in the silt and fertilizer. It is to observe the ability of silt as an alternative of fertilizer that can be used in agriculture which can reduce environmental impact. In addition, silt soil is enriched with organic matter, macronutrients, micronutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus which have potential as fertilizer supplements to stimulate the plant which can improve plant nutrients. This issues was investigated in two differently methods which are using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) to observe chemical properties and minerals that contain in the silt. The results illustrate that silt have a potential to be an alternative for fertilizer in plants. Through the pH analysis, the silt i.s acidic and not suitable to be an alternative of fertilizer as the difference between the findings for pH of the silt is quite far from fertilizer. The silt can through a modification by adding lime in order to reduce soil acidity that will increase the pH level of silt. The silt also contain high concentration of potassium which is suitable for agriculture soil that are needed by most plant to growth. The absent of lead which is type of heavy metal in the silt indicates that the silt also suitable to become an agriculture soil. To conclude, the silt have a potential to be an alternative of fertilizer in the agriculture.