A polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex, a method of removing a toxic substance from contaminated soil or contaminated groundwater using a polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex and a method of making a polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex. The polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex is made from a complexated recombinant intrinsically disordered protein that has been electrostatically conjugated to an anionic surfactant to provide enhanced liquid-liquid phase separation properties.

A method for preparing a soil conditioner comprises the following steps: swelling alginates in distilled water to obtain alginate gel; adding chitosan to prepare an alginate/chitosan composite material; reacting with N-isopropylacrylamide, and dissolving the obtained reaction product in water to obtain an aqueous phase; dissolving a soil conditioning material in a solvent to obtain an oil phase; mixing the oil phase with the aqueous phase, and performing stirring reaction and centrifugal separation to prepare the product. Compared with the prior art, the present invention implements conditioning and intelligent controlled release of soil by means of molecular structure design and composition control.

A method for preparing a soil conditioner comprises the following steps: swelling alginates in distilled water to obtain alginate gel; adding chitosan to prepare an alginate/chitosan composite material; reacting with N-isopropylacrylamide, and dissolving the obtained reaction product in water to obtain an aqueous phase; dissolving a soil conditioning material in a solvent to obtain an oil phase; mixing the oil phase with the aqueous phase, and performing stirring reaction and centrifugal separation to prepare the product. Compared with the prior art, the present invention implements conditioning and intelligent controlled release of soil by means of molecular structure design and composition control.

The present invention provides for a water retention polymer capable of retaining water for long durations and in huge amounts and the method of preparing the same. The polymer is capable of releasing the retained water slowly and as per the requirements of the crop and soil. Thus, the water retention polymer minimizes the water requirement during irrigation and other purposes. Further, the said polymer is eco-friendly, pollution free and completely biodegradable. The polymer can be used to grow plants on barren lands and marble slurry. The use of this polymer also minimizes the requirement of fertilizer for the crops. Further, the said water retention polymer is low-priced and hence affordable by farmers. The reduction in water requirement and fertilizer due to the use of this water retention polymer reduces 60% overall production cost for the farmers and hence results in more income generation from agriculture.

The present invention is a method for improving soil, wherein a lignin decomposition product having an aldehyde yield by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of 5% by mass or more, a weight average molecular weight of 300 or more and 100,000 or less, and a contact angle with water is 15° or more is supplied to soil.

The present invention is a method for improving soil, wherein a lignin decomposition product having an aldehyde yield by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of 5% by mass or more, a weight average molecular weight of 300 or more and 100,000 or less, and a contact angle with water is 15° or more is supplied to soil.

A method for altering a characteristic of the ground. The method comprises the steps of preparing a lignocellulosic material, suspending the lignocellulosic material in a slurry to create a lignocellulosic slurry, and creating a fluid movement of the lignocellulosic slurry. The method further includes the steps of resuspending a portion of the lignocellulosic slurry with the fluid movement; and injecting the lignocellulosic slurry below the surface of the ground.

The invention relates to agriculture and can be used to restore soil fertility. A method for remediation of contaminated lands involves pouring and introducing a bioreagent to a depth into the soil prepared for purification. Remediation is carried out in 2 steps: in the first step, slit-like or round holes are made in the infected area to a depth of 25 cm, poured with water, afterwards, 5-6 hours later, this area is poured with a bioreagent in the form of a humus-containing suspension in an amount of up to 400 g per kg of soil containing strains: Acinetobacter calcoaceticus VKPM V-4883, Pseudomonas denitrificans VKPM-4884, Pseudomonas sp. “longa” VKPM V-4885, Rhodococcus erythropolis in an amount of (6-8).Math.10.sup.9, (3-4).Math.10.sup.9 (2-3).Math.10.sup.9, (1-2).Math.10.sup.9 cells per 1 L of solution, respectively, in the ratio, wt. % 4.8:2.4:1.7:1.0. In the second step, 8-10 days later, half the initial dose of the concentrate of the humus-containing suspension is introduced. After introduction of the second reduced dose of the humus-containing suspension, watering is continued for 14 days. The distance between the slit-like or round holes is 8-10 cm. The proposed method for remediation of contaminated lands provides for treatment efficiency and a reduction in the degree of decontamination from a high degree of contamination to the MPC (maximum permissible concentration) level, preservation of soil biocenosis and restoration of soil fertility.

Disclosed are methods of improving germination rates of plants/crops, as well as preventing or arresting water evaporation loss from targeted soil areas, which allows for improved water usage efficiency by crops, plants, grasses, vegetation, etc.

Disclosed are methods of improving germination rates of plants/crops, as well as preventing or arresting water evaporation loss from targeted soil areas, which allows for improved water usage efficiency by crops, plants, grasses, vegetation, etc.