10 SportsTurf | September 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com
FIELD SCIENCE
the effect paint has on PAR is well understood, there is little
information on the accumulation of paint in the soil profi le
and how it affects the chemical and physical characteristics
of the soil.
Paints are made up of four basic elements: pigment,
binder, solvent, and additives. Pigments and binders are of
particular concern. Pigments are used in paint to ensure a
surface is completely coated, and give
paint its color by absorbing specifi c
wavelengths of light while refl ecting
others. Titanium dioxide is the choice
pigment when it comes to white paint
because it has the highest level of
brightness of any pigment. Higher
concentrations of titanium dioxide will
result in brighter paint, but it will also
raise the cost. To keep costs lower, a fi ller
pigment needs to be used.
Calcium carbonate is often used as a
fi ller pigment. It can be used in mixing
■ BY JOSH LENZ AND DR. NICK CHRISTIANS
A
thletic field paint is used worldwide in the sports turf
industry to mark boundaries and/or create logos on
athletic fi elds; however, the more it is used the more
problems it can cause. Over a period of time, this paint
can accumulate in the soil and cause problems with plant growth,
sometimes to the point of total turf loss.
Research has been conducted at North
Carolina State University evaluating
the impacts of athletic fi eld paint on the
amount of light a plant receives and the
overall effects on photosynthesis. It has
been concluded that when a turfgrass
canopy is covered by fi eld paint, it alters
the amount of light that is available for
photosynthesis. Other work has shown that
darker paint colors can absorb over 90% of
light, reducing the photosynthetically active
radiation (PAR) at the leaf surfaces. While
DEGRADATION OF PAINT IN A
SAND-BASED SPORTS TURF MEDIA
Cores show paint build-up in soil
Jack Trice Stadium at Iowa State University
