Using degradable oxidizing additives in the manufacturing of drip irrigation tapes to prevent environmental problems

Using tapes in drip irrigation is associated with environmental problems due to the accumulation of tapes in agricultural areas. Farmers either leave them on the fields or burn them or bury them. All three of these methods pose dangerous environmental hazards. To address this issue, it is recommended that these materials be produced from or with biodegradable materials. In this study, a biodegradable additive was used as a degradation accelerator in the production of tapes. After the production of these tapes, they were used under real conditions and during a growing season and in two treatments: below and on the soil surface, along with a canopy and without shade (beans and radishes). After 6 and 11 months, the tapes were sampled to investigate their degradation. The results showed that tapes made with oxo as an additive began to degrade more quickly than did conventional tapes. A reduction in properties such as weight (p < 0.05), turbidity (p < 0.05), and mechanical properties such as tensile strength at the rupture point (p < 0.05), elongation at the rupture point (p > 0.05), Young's modulus (p < 0.05) and toughness (p < 0.05) in tapes produced with oxo additives shows more and faster degradation than conventional tapes. Therefore, the use of oxo master batches in the production of tapes is possible and useful.