2025-10-01 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2025 393(卷), null(期), (null页)
Water scarcity is the main cause of desertification in arid regions. Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technology represents the most promising solution to this problem. In this study, a polyacrylamide-chitosan matrix loaded with CaCl2 (PAM-CS-CaCl2) was designed to absorb moisture and was applied to a sandy soil to increase the soil water content. The results showed that the water absorption rate of the PAM-CS-CaCl2 aerogel was as high as 3.76 g/g at 90 % RH and 25 degrees C. Sandy soil modified with 2.4 % PAM-CS-CaCl2 aerogel had a waterharvesting capacity of 0.1 g/g (20 degrees C, 90 % RH) and maintained a water content of 6.74 % under extreme conditions (40 degrees C, 20 % RH) for 28 days. Under non-irrigated and drought conditions (23-25 degrees C, 20-30 % RH), sandy soil modified with 0.3-0.6 % PAM-CS-CaCl2 aerogel extended the survival time of ryegrass from 5 to 12 days. Water harvesting through the use of PAM-CS-CaCl2 aerogel as a supplement to dry soils may provide a new strategy for water management in arid regions.