Amabhola we-Hydrogel akwazi ukuheha amanzi amahlandla ayinkulungwane ngaphezu kwesisindo sawo, abonakala elungele ukusetshenziswa njengamathangi amancane angaphansi komhlaba. Ngokweqiniso, lapho inhlabathi iyoma, ama-hydrogels aqhelelana amanzi ukuze athambe izimpande zezitshalo, ukonga amanzi futhi andise isivuno sezilimo ngisho nasemimonweni yesomiso ngisho nakwimomo.
Kodwa-ke, ukungezwa kwama-hydrogels kuma-Farmer Fields kunikeza imiphumela evumayo.
Emsebenzini wakhe, ososayensi bePrinceton bakhombise ipulatifomu yokuhlola. Ikuvumela ukuthi ugcine ama-hydrogels enhlabathini, kanye nakwezinye izindawo ezivalekile ezivaliwe.
Ipulatifomu isuselwa kwizithako ezimbili: indlela esobala ekhanyayo, okungukuthi ukupakishwa kwamabhola ezingilazi, njengendawo ebambele emhlabathini, namanzi aqukethe amakhemikhali, abizwa ngokuthi amakhemikhali, abizwa nge-ammonium thiocyanate. Lamakhemikhali aguqula ngekhono ukubekezela kokukhanya ngamanzi, anxephezele imiphumela yokuhlanekezela ebivame ukuba nobuhlalu bengilazi oyindilinga. Ngenxa yalokho, ososayensi bangabona i-COLOC hydrogel ibhola maphakathi nenhlabathi yokufakelwa.
"Ubuchwepheshe Bami Laba Labhoratri ukusesha amakhemikhali afunekayo ekugxilisweni okulungile ukuze kushintshe izakhiwo ze-optical zombatho," kusho uDatta, uprofesa woMnyango wezobunjiniyela bePrinceton nangombhali omkhulu oshicilelwe kwi-Journal Science Inqubekela phambili ngoFebhuwari 12. - Lesi sici sihlinzeka ngeso lengqondo lezinhlangothi ezintathu zokugeleza koketshezi kanye nezinye izinqubo ezenzeka ezindaweni ezingenakufinyeleleka, ze-Opaque ezifana nenhlabathi namatshe. "
Ososayensi basebenzise ukufakwa ukukhombisa ukuthi inani lamanzi agcinwe ama-hydrogels alawulwa ukulingana phakathi kwamandla anamathiselwe ukuvuvukala kwe-hydrogel enamanzi azungezile.
Ngenxa yalokhu, ama-hydrogels athambile athatha inani elikhulu lamanzi lapho exubana nezingqimba zenhlabathi, kepha ungasebenzi kahle ekujuleni, lapho ingcindezi ekhulayo ihlangabezana khona.
Esikhundleni salokho, ama-hydrogels aqinile, ahlelwe ngezibopho ezandayo zangaphakathi, zingamelana kangcono nengcindezi yenhlabathi futhi, ngokufanele, bagcina ukusebenza kahle.
UDatta uthe, uqondiswa yile miphumela, onjiniyela manje bazokwazi ukwenza ezinye izivivinyo ukuze bavumelanise amakhemikhali ama-hydrogels emasikweni athile nezimo zenhlabathi.
"Imiphumela yethu ihlinzeka ngezincomo zokuthuthukiswa kwama-hydrogels angadonsa kahle amanzi angena ngomhlabathi lapho enzelwe ukusetshenziswa khona," kusho uDatta.
Umthombo wokuphefumulelwa komsebenzi wesayensi ukuthi i-Datt ithole ngamathemba amakhulu okusebenzisa ama-hydrogels kwezolimo, kodwa kwezinye izikhathi abalimi baye bangenelisekile futhi bakholelwa ukuthi basebenzise imali ngeze.
(Umthombo: www.eurekalert.org).