Effects of different concentrations of super-absorbent polymers on soil structure and hydro-physical properties following continuous wetting and drying cycles

Super-absorbent polymers (SAPs) are widely used chemical water-saving materials, which play an active role in the accumulation of soil water and the improvement of soil structure. Little is known about their performance with repeated usage or about factors influencing their efficiency under alternate wetting and drying cycles. In this study, various concentrations of SAP (0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%) in soil following three continuous wetting and drying cycles (T1, T2 and T3), were studied to determine effects on soil structure stability and hydro-physical properties. The results indicated that the SAP improved soil water supply capacity under conditions of mild drought (T2) and sufficient irrigation (T3) at concentrations of 0.2 and 0.3%, but a reduction was observed under severe drought conditions (T1), which was negatively correlated with the SAP concentration. The physical adsorption of the SAP by soil and the chemical connection between the SAP and soil mineral colloids as Si-O-Si bonds, -OH bonds and different crystalline silica were the important factors that directly lead to the reduction of water retention capacities of the SAP with alternating wet and dry conditions. Compared with the control, the soil liquid phase ratios of the SAP treatments were increased by 8.8–202.7% in the T1 and T2 cycles, which would have led to a decrease in the soil air phase ratios. After repeated wetting and drying cycles, the SAP treatments increased the amount of >0.25 mm soil aggregates and the contents of water-stable macro-aggregate (R_0.25), and decreased the amount of <0.053 mm soil aggregates, especially with higher concentrations of the SAP. Increases in mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD), and declines in fractal dimension (D) and unstable aggregates index (E_LT) were all observed with the SAP treatments, which indicated an improvement in soil stability and structure. It was concluded that the distribution and stability of soil aggregates and soil water supply capacity was closely related to SAP concentration, soil moisture condition and the interaction between the SAP and soil particles.