Improvement in Red Soil Aggregate Stabilization Using Biopolymers
- 1School of Infrastructure Engineering, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Honggutan District, Nanchang 330031, China
- 2Engineering Research Center of Watershed Carbon Neutralization, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Honggutan District, Nanchang 330031, China
- 3School of Resources & Environment, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Honggutan New District, Nanchang 330031, China
Abstract
Red soils in southern China are highly vulnerable to water-induced structural breakdown and erosion because of their poor aggregate water stability. Although biopolymers have recently been proposed as environmentally friendly amendments for improving red soil stability, the links between their stabilization mechanisms and aggregate-level performance remain unclear. In this study, three representative biopolymers, namely calcium lignosulfonate (Ca-LS), xanthan gum (XG), and a bio-organic–mineral composite stabilizer (DK), were selected to improve the water stability of red soil aggregates. Controlled laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate aggregate stability, microstructure, pore characteristics, and zeta potential of the amended soils. The results show that all three amendments improved aggregate water stability to different extents. XG showed the strongest overall stabilization within the tested conditions, whereas DK exhibited a gradual content-dependent improvement and Ca-LS displayed a non-monotonic response. Within the tested range, the optimal amendment contents for improving aggregate stability were 2.0% for DK, 1.5% for Ca-LS, and 1.0% for XG. In addition, biopolymer amendment increased the size of fragments generated after water-induced breakdown, suggesting a potentially lower susceptibility to detachment and transport. Microstructural analyses further showed that the amendments promoted particle cementation, network formation, and pore-structure adjustment, thereby enhancing aggregate stability through coupled interfacial bonding and structural reorganization. These findings provide a multiscale basis for understanding biopolymer-amended stabilization of red soil aggregates and for selecting suitable amendments for the remediation of degraded red soils.
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BibTeX
@article{lin2026improvement,
title = {{Improvement in Red Soil Aggregate Stabilization Using Biopolymers}},
author = {Hai Lin and Qihang Lai and Yu Xia and Xiangyu Gong and Jinqi Zhu},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/polym18212632},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2632},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Improvement in Red Soil Aggregate Stabilization Using Biopolymers
AU - Hai Lin
AU - Qihang Lai
AU - Yu Xia
AU - Xiangyu Gong
AU - Jinqi Zhu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18212632
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2632
AB - Red soils in southern China are highly vulnerable to water-induced structural breakdown and erosion because of their poor aggregate water stability. Although biopolymers have recently been proposed as environmentally friendly amendments for improving red soil stability, the links between their stabilization mechanisms and aggregate-level performance remain unclear. In this study, three representative biopolymers, namely calcium lignosulfonate (Ca-LS), xanthan gum (XG), and a bio-organic–mineral composite stabilizer (DK), were selected to improve the water stability of red soil aggregates. Controlled laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate aggregate stability, microstructure, pore characteristics, and zeta potential of the amended soils. The results show that all three amendments improved aggregate water stability to different extents. XG showed the strongest overall stabilization within the tested conditions, whereas DK exhibited a gradual content-dependent improvement and Ca-LS displayed a non-monotonic response. Within the tested range, the optimal amendment contents for improving aggregate stability were 2.0% for DK, 1.5% for Ca-LS, and 1.0% for XG. In addition, biopolymer amendment increased the size of fragments generated after water-induced breakdown, suggesting a potentially lower susceptibility to detachment and transport. Microstructural analyses further showed that the amendments promoted particle cementation, network formation, and pore-structure adjustment, thereby enhancing aggregate stability through coupled interfacial bonding and structural reorganization. These findings provide a multiscale basis for understanding biopolymer-amended stabilization of red soil aggregates and for selecting suitable amendments for the remediation of degraded red soils.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -