Impact Assessment of Nano-Silver Materials On the Soil Quality Parameters.

Nano-silver materials have been used in agricultural fields due to their biocide characteristics. However, there is still a lack of information is available for the effect of nano-silver materials on soil when it is applied in field. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to evaluate soil quality after nano-silver material is applied in soil with varied parameters and to decide minimum data set (MDS) that is mostly affected parameters in soil. In order to determine minimum data set (MDS) for obtaining soil quality indicators, total of 16 variables including soil respiration and potentially mineralizable N were measured for 1 month after nano-silver application. Also, sorption characteristic of nano-silver material was examined. Our result showed that pH, EC, exchangeable Ca, Al, and soil respiration were significantly different (P<0.05) after nano-silver material was applied in soil. After nano-silver application, pH, EC, and exchangeable Ca were increased while exchangeable Al and soil respiration were decreased compared to control. Sorption characteristic of nano-silver in soil was generally followed multiple first order kinetic model indicating that initial fast sorption was occurred and gradually decreased afterward. Depending on soil texture, rate constant was increased in order of SC(0.0348~0.0660 h^-1) > C(0.0141~0.0183 h^-1) > SL(0.0020~0.0029 h^-1). In addition, rate constant of nano-silver in soil was increased as clay content and temperature were increased. Overall, impact of nano-silver materials on soil quality should be considered to minimize adverse effect of nano-silver materials in environment and our result can be used to utilize nano-silver materials for field application.