An Environmentally-Friendly Geotechnical Approach for Soil Erosion Reduction Using Microbial Biopolymers

Abstract

Global warming and unsustainable land development are known to be major triggers promoting geotechnical hazards such as farmland and coastal erosion, yellow dust, and desertification. New forestry practices, such as encouraging forests in dry land areas, are simple measures that can remove more carbon from the atmosphere and prevent the spread of deserts. Numerous global agencies and companies are thus contributing to anti-desertification movements. However, tree planting alone is not an ideal solution given that it takes approximately 2~3 years for stabilization. It is thus imperative to develop innovative technology that can promote vegetation growth and improve soil erosion resistance. In this study, a unique soil treatment and anti-desertification method is developed using environmentally friendly biogenic biopolymers. Biopolymers can effectively strengthen soil and improve durability. In particular, anionic-hydrophilic biopolymers delay water evaporation, thereby retaining a higher soil moisture condition compared to untreated soil. For technical verification, series of laboratory investigations (i.e. water erosion test, seed germination and growth) were performed by applying target biopolymers to soil specimens. The results indicate that environmentally-friendly biopolymer treatment is highly effective in improving both vegetation growth (3 times faster) and soil erosion resistance (less than 2%), compared to a untreated condition.