Biocementation mixture for dust control and related applications
The present invention relates primarily to the use of a mixture for reducing dust formation and/or erosion. The invention relates additionally to a method for reducing dust formation and/or erosion and also to a mixture suitable for this purpose.
1 . A biocementation method comprising:
(A) forming a mixture comprising:
(i) at least one organism which is capable of forming carbonate, or of inducing and/or catalysing carbonate formation, and/or at least one enzyme which is capable of forming carbonate or of inducing and/or catalysing carbonate formation,
(ii) at least one substance for forming carbonate,
(iii) at least one water-soluble, water-dispersible and/or water-emulsifiable, cohesion-modifying compound comprising at least one calcium-binding functional group or at least one carbonate-binding functional group
wherein the cohesion-modifying compound having the at least one calcium-binding functional group or carbonate-binding functional group is calcium lignosulfonate, sodium lignosulfonate, potassium lignosulfonate, magnesium lignosulfonate, ammonium lignosulfonate, and combinations thereof, and
(B) applying the mixture to/into a substrate to be treated, thereby enabling biocementation.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein (iii) is present in an amount of at least 0.5 wt %, based on a total mass of (i), (ii) and (iii), and/or (iii) is present in an amount of at most 85 wt %, based on a total mass of (i), (ii) and (iii).
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein (ii) is selected from:
urea and its salts; organic acids and salts thereof and esters thereof; acetic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof; propanoic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof; butanoic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof; pentanoic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, formic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof; maleic acid and salts thereof, and esters thereof, succinic acid and salts thereof, and esters thereof, pyruvic acid and salts thereof, and esters thereof, acetoacetic acid and salts thereof, and esters thereof, levulinic acid and salts thereof, and esters thereof, oxalacetic acid and salts thereof, and esters thereof, fruit acids, malic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, citric acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, fumaric acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, gluconic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, glycolic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, mandelic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, oxalic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, salicylic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, α-hydroxycaprylic acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, and tartaric acid and salts thereof and esters thereof, peptides; amino acids, and salts thereof and esters thereof; vegetable and animal complex substrates; industrial residual substance streams; and anaerobic substrates.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture is a liquid, a gel, a paste, or a powder.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein (i) is selected from microorganisms, aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, facultatively anaerobic bacteria, and intermediate stages thereof.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein (i) is selected from urease, asparaginase, carbonic anhydrase, and metabolic enzymes.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture further comprises at least one adjuvant selected from:
natural and chemical herbicides; fungicides, molluscicides; insecticides; hydrophobizers and wax emulsions; stabilizers, dispersants; emulsifying aids, surfactants; amines; thixotropic agents; propellants; free-flow agents, crystallization seeds and crystallization modifiers; complexing agents, fatty acids; minerals; salts; rocks, sand, gravel and slate flour, thermoplastic elastomers; aggregates; spores, plants and parts thereof; fertilizers; bacteria capable of forming polymers; and substances which modify biocementation.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from organic and inorganic material and in each case derivatives and mixtures thereof, and also combinations thereof.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture is applied once or repeatedly and an amount of (iii) applied overall is at least 20 g, based on one square metre of application area, and/or an amount of the (iii) applied overall is at most 2000 g, based on one square metre of application area.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cohesion-modifying compound having the at least one calcium-binding functional group or carbonate-binding functional group is calcium lignosulfonate.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cohesion-modifying compound having the at least one calcium-binding functional group or carbonate-binding functional group is sodium lignosulfonate.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cohesion-modifying compound having the at least one calcium-binding functional group or carbonate-binding functional group is potassium lignosulfonate.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cohesion-modifying compound having the at least one calcium-binding functional group or carbonate-binding functional group is magnesium lignosulfonate.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cohesion-modifying compound having the at least one calcium-binding functional group or carbonate-binding functional group is ammonium lignosulfonate.