Sustainable approach for nutrient release control in organic fertilisers by using phosphogypsum

Fertilisers maintain agricultural productivity for world needs, Despite the numerous advantages of controlled release fertilisers (CRFs), production expenses and impacts on the environment and soil quality limit widespread adoption. This research focuses on valorising agro-industrial waste through a biotransformation process (anaerobic and aerobic digestion). The resulting biofertilisers, when associated with phosphogypsum (PG) using the simplex-centroid design, create organo-mineral fertilisers with controlled nutrient release. A balanced formulation with 33.33% of each component (digestate, compost, and phosphogypsum) demonstrates a promising sustainable approach, contributing nutritional elements with exceptional control and sustained release characteristics, all without the previous use of coating materials. This environment-friendly approach accords with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly 2, 3, 12, and 15. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.