| abstract |
Encapsulated nutrient salts are provided which include nutrient salt particles encapsulated with a water-insoluble chitosan-stearic acid complex. A method is provided to form encapsulated nutrient salts, which includes forming a water-in-oil micro-emulsion that includes an oil and an aqueous salt solution, adding chitosan and stearic acid to the water-in-oil micro-emulsion, where chitosan and stearic acid form a complex, and collapse the aqueous phase of the water-in-oil micro-emulsion to form the encapsulated salt particles. |