SOIL STABILIZER

Abstract

Compositions and methods for resisting soil erosion are shown. The compositions comprise either an aqueous mixture of a polymer mixed with an organic material or, alternatively, a polymer and organic material that can be mixed in water. The polymer preferably comprises polyacrylamide having anionic functional groups and the organic base comprises either cellulose, mulch and/or seed, and/or mulch. The methods of the present invention comprise providing or forming an aqueous mixture of the compositions of the present invention and applying them to an area of land sought to be provided with soil erosion resistance.

Claims

1. A method for reducing soil erosion from an area of land comprising: providing a copolymer of linear polyacrylamide comprising anionic polyacrylamide ranging between 38-92% and sodium acrylate; providing an organic material selected from the group consisting of paper mulch, wood fiber mulch, or cellulose; mixing approximately 3000 gallons of water with the copolymer to form a first admixture, an amount of copolymer present in the first admixture being selected from a range of 8-10 gallons; and mixing the first admixture with the organic material to form a second admixture, an amount of organic material present in the second admixture being selected from a range of 2000-2500 pounds.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: applying the second admixture to the area of land, the area of land being approximately one acre of land and having a slope gradient ranging from 6:1 to 1:1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the copolymer is present in an amount of 9 gallons and the organic material is present in an amount of 2000 pounds.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose and paper mulch.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said mulch is selected from the group consisting of cellulose and wood fiber mulch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the application of the second admixture is accomplished via a hydroseeder.

7. A method for reducing soil erosion from an area of land comprising: providing a copolymer consisting of linear polyacrylamide polymer comprising anionic polyacrylamide ranging between 38-92% and sodium acrylate; providing an organic material selected from a group consisting of paper mulch, wood fiber mulch, and cellulose; mixing approximately 3000 gallons of water with the copolymer to form a first admixture; and mixing the first admixture with the organic material such that a second admixture is formed wherein: i) the copolymer is present in an amount within a range of 3-5 gallons, and ii) the organic material is present in an amount within a range of approximately 1000 pounds to 2500 pounds.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising: applying the second admixture to the area of land having a size ranging from one-half acre to one acre.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the area of land has a slope gradient ranging from 6:1 to 1:1.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the organic material weighs between 1000 pounds to 1200 pounds, and the slope gradient ranges from 5:1 to 4:1.

11. A method for reducing soil erosion from an area of land comprising: providing a copolymer consisting of linear polyacrylamide comprising anionic polyacrylamide ranging between 38-92% and sodium acrylate; providing one or more organic materials selected from a group consisting of paper mulch, wood fiber mulch, and cellulose; and mixing water with the one or more organic materials and, subsequently with the copolymer such that an admixture is formed wherein: i) the copolymer is present in an amount within a range of 3-10 gallons, ii) the one or more organic materials is present in an amount within a range of 1500-2500 pounds, and ii) 3,000 gallons of water is present.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: applying the admixture to the area of land having a size of approximately one acre.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the organic materials weigh between 1500-2000 pounds.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the area of land has a slope gradient ranging from 5:1 to 1.5:1.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the slope gradient ranges from 4:1 to 2:1.

16. (canceled)

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more organic materials weigh 1500 pounds, and the slope gradient is approximately 3:1.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the organic materials weigh between 1500 pounds and 2000 pounds, and the slope gradient ranges from 2:1 to 1.5:1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The detailed description as set forth below is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and sequences of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments and that they are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of this invention.

[0025] The present invention is directed to compositions and methods for preventing or substantially reducing soil erosion. With regard to the compositions, there is provided the combination of a polymer and an organic material that, in use, are mixed with water to form an aqueous admixture. In this respect, the compositions of the present invention may comprise either the polymer/organic material elements alone, which may be mixed with water, or, alternatively, an aqueous solution containing such components.

[0026] With respect to the former, the polymer element comprises polyacrylamide. Such polymer, which is well-known in the art, comprises CH.sub.2:CHCONH.sub.2 linear polymers polymeric through the vinyl groups. Preferably, the polyacrylamide is formulated such that the functional groups thereof are anionic and, hence, converted into polyelectrolytes. It should be understood, however, that cationic functional groups are contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention. In a more highly refined embodiment, the polymer component comprises a copolymer mixture of acrylamide and sodium acrylate, present in a ratio of approximately 70:30, that is commercially available and sold under the trademark EarthGuard by Terra Novo, Inc. of Bakersfield, Calif. As to the organic material, the same preferably comprises either cellulose, mulch and/or seed and mulch. With respect to the latter components, the same are well-known in the art. In this regard, such component may include materials such as recycled paper mulch and/or wood fiber mulch, among several other organic materials.

[0027] In one embodiment with respect to steep slopes, the basic aforementioned components that comprise the invention, by each component's specified unit, encompass the following:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Component Value Unit Water 3000 gal. Organic material 2000-2500 lb. Polymer 8-10 gal.

[0028] In one embodiment with respect to flat slopes, the basic aforementioned components that comprise the invention, by each component's specified unit, encompass the following:

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Component Value Unit Water 3000 gal. Organic material 1500 lb. Polymer 3-5 gal.

[0029] Steep and flat slopes may be defined according to a slope gradient. For example, in one embodiment, a steep slope may be defined as having a slope gradient of 2:1 while a flat slope may be defined as having a slope gradient of 6:1. In other embodiments, other slope gradients may be define a steep slope and/or a flat slope. In yet other embodiments, a range of slope gradients may be used to define a steep slope and/or a flat slope. For example, a slope gradient range of 1.5:1-3.5:1 may define a steep slope while a slope gradient range of 3.6:1-6:1 may define a flat slope.

[0030] In a more highly refined embodiment, the invention may comprise 38% of anionic polyacrylamide and super absorbent polyacrylamide, and 62% of one or more inert ingredients. Further, in one embodiment, the polymer component may be comprised of 92% anionic polyacrylamide, and 8% super absorbent cross linked polyacrylamide.

[0031] For application, the polymer/organic composition will be mixed with water. To that end, it is contemplated that water may be added to the polymer/organic composition such that the following ratio is present: 3000 gallons of water, at least 1500 lbs. of organic material, and at least 3 gallons of polymer. Preferably, the water will be combined with the organic material, followed by the addition of the polymer. In one embodiment, the mixture may be distributed over one acre of land. Alternatively, if a higher amount of soil erosion protection is desired, the mixture may be distributed over one half of an acre of land. In yet another embodiment, the mixture may be consist of 3000 gallons of water, one ton to one and one quarter tons of organic material and eight to 10 gallons of polymer distributed over either one acre of land or one half of an acre of land.

[0032] With respect to application, the same may be applied by any of a variety of techniques known in the art. For example, the compositions of the present invention may be applied via hydroseeders, among others well-known in the art. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in light of the compositions of the present invention including a high amount of polyacrylamide and/or polyacrylamide and sodium acrylate, the resultant admixture produced by adding the aqueous component with the polymer/organic material will consequently produce a gel or slurry that will require constant agitation, such as through the use of agitators and the like, or by thorough mixing at the time such ingredients are in contact with one another. With respect to the latter, it is currently contemplated that the polymer component, at a minimum, must be added directly to the still water how and thereafter the mixture is vigorously agitated for a minimum of five minutes prior to application of the resultant admixture.

[0033] Advantageously, the compositions of the present invention are non-toxic, biodegradable and can be applied to any types of soils in any type of weather conditions. Moreover, by simply using well-known and commercially available materials, in particular the polymer component of the present invention, the compositions and methods of using the same according to the present invention are substantially more cost effective than prior art compositions and methods.

[0034] Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the particular combination of parts and steps described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative devices and methods within the spirit and scope of the invention.