This study investigated the rheological and compression-permeability attributes of dredged slurry reinforced using waste rice straws. Recognizing the potential of natural waste fibers in geotechnical applications, this study aimed to elucidate the effects of fiber length and pretreatment processes on the relocation dynamics of the cemented slurry. A series of laboratory evaluations were conducted to gauge critical parameters such as flow consistency, viscosity, one-dimensional compression, and hydraulic conductivity. Results indicated that straw lengths greater than 0.075 mm significantly increased slurry slump flow due to altered surface area and water adsorption. Dynamic viscosity decreased with increasing straw length, yet overall performance improved with straw inclusion. The influence of immersing straws in pure water emerged as a determinant in the study. A 24-h pretreatment duration influenced the flowability, viscosity, and the structural integrity of the fibers. Based on the observations, the study deduces that straw powder finer than 0.075 mm, subjected to a 24-h immersion in pure water, optimally bolsters the flow properties of cemented waste slurry. While the benefits associated with elongated straw fibers necessitate exploration and validation, this work underscores the potential of rice straw as a sustainable reinforcement material in geotechnical endeavors, promoting waste recycling and reducing environmental impact.

This study investigated the conversion of cellulose from rice husk (RH) and straw (RS), two types of agricultural waste, into Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Cellulose was extracted using KOH and NaOH, hydrolyzed, and bleached to increase purity and fineness. The cellulose synthesis yielded a higher net CMC content for RH-CMC (84.8%) than for RS-CMC (57.7%). Due to smaller particle sizes, RH-CMC exhibited lower NaCl content (0.77%) and higher purity. FT-IR analysis confirmed similar functional groups to commercial CMC, while XRD analysis presented a more amorphous structure and a higher degree of carboxymethylation. A biodegradable film preparation of starch-based CMC using citric acid as a crosslinking agent shows food packaging properties. The biodegradable film demonstrated good swelling, water solubility, and moisture content, with desirable mechanical properties, maximum load (6.54 N), tensile strength (670.52 kN/m2), elongation at break (13.3%), and elastic modulus (2679 kN/m2), indicating durability and flexibility. The RH-CMC film showed better chemical and mechanical properties and complete biodegradability in soil within ten days. Applying the biodegradable film for tomato preservation showed that wrapping with the film reduced weight loss more efficiently than dip coating. The additional highlight of the work was a consumer survey in Thailand that revealed low awareness but significant interest in switching to alternative uses, indicating commercial potential for eco-friendly packaging choices and market opportunities for sustainable materials.

This study evaluates the utilization of rice straw as a reinforcement material in dredged slurry, focusing on sustainable waste-to-waste treatment practices. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted on slurries with varying straw contents and sizes, including samples pretreated via pure water immersion. The study also analyzed the desiccation behavior of straw-reinforced slurry, examining parameters such as crack initiation time, maximum crack width, surface crack ratio, and failure morphology. Results indicate that straw fiber degradation within the first 72 h of aqueous pretreatment impacts the mechanical properties and structural integrity of the reinforced slurry. The introduction of straw alters the slurry's failure mode from brittle to plastic, enhancing ductility and residual strength. Optimal reinforcement occurred with a 0.5 % straw content, pretreated for 24 h, showing significant improvements in UCS and stiffness. Additionally, straw content between 3 % and 5 % optimally reduces cracking, with straw sizes of 0.6-1.0 mm providing effective crack control without disrupting the soil matrix. These findings suggest that straw can significantly enhance both the strength and dewatering efficiency of dredged slurry, offering practical implications for geotechnical applications in construction and landfill settings.

This study used rice straw-based and palm fiber-based degradable plastics with glycerol and sorbitol. AThe strength of rice straw cellulose-based degradable plastics using 20% glycerol ranged from 2 to 5.75 MPa. Similarly, the strength of palm fiber cellulose-based degradable plastics using 40% sorbitol ranged from 5 to 11.13 MPa. In a chemical analysis, the peaks between 3444.87 cm-1 and 3651.25 cm-1 represented the O-H stretching of the alcohol group. This is shown by the C-O-H hydroxyl group at the wave numbers of 1627.92, 1724.36, and 1745.58 cm-1. Moreover, these groups are hydrophilic, binding water, so they can be degraded by microbial activity in the soil. In the thermal analysis, degradable plastics from rice straw lost a lot of weight between 431.53 and 520.79 degrees C. Plastics derived from palm fibers as green products also showed extreme weight loss between 334.28 and 482.20 degrees C. Most of the material was decomposed at 600 degrees C. Both types of samples lost a lot of hydrogen groups and started to decompose and depolymerize. Rice straw plastic absorbed 10.73%-20.23% of water, while palm fiber plastic absorbed 15.34%-85.01%. The lowest water absorption rates were observed in rice straw and palm fiber degradable plastics. Rice straw and palm fiber cellulose plastics broke down in 45-48 days, in line with the American Standard Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-20.96 standard, which says that degradable plastic should take no more than 180 days to break down.

In this study, lime soil was reinforced with preservative-treated rice straw fibers to improve its brittle behavior and overall performance. Straw fibers of varying lengths and amounts were used, and the resulting unconfined compressive strength, shear strength, and flexural strength of the reinforced soil were determined. The effect of fiber reinforcement on the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of limestone soils was determined, and the finite element (FE) software ABAQUS was used to analyze the specimen loading, crack extension, and specimen damage for developing a fracture toughness prediction model. The test results showed that the compressive strength, shear strength, and Mode I fracture toughness of soil increased with the fiber length and content. Also, a linear correlation between fracture toughness and unconfined compressive strength and shear strength was found. Therefore, the fracture toughness can be predicted by establishing a correlation equation. The disparity between the simulated fracture toughness obtained by FE analysis and that measured laboratory test is <3 %, validating the reliability and accuracy of the developed model. From the FE model analysis, crack propagation can be divided into four stages, i.e., no crack, crack appearance, crack development and expansion, and crack penetration. The friction and interlocking force between the rough texture of the fiber surface and the soil and the skeleton structure formed by the fiber in the soil can overcome the soil force. Therefore, the toughness of fiber-reinforced soil is better than that of lime soil.

This study explores the potential of rice straw. The durability and effectiveness of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-treated rice straw in reinforcing silty clay were evaluated by measuring its adhesive absorption, tensile strength, and water absorption. The study found that the compressive strength of the reinforced soil first increased and then decreased with the addition of straw, with an optimal mix of 0.3%. The water stability of the reinforced soil improved significantly, with reduced disintegration rates and extended disintegration times. The germination rate, growth height, and coverage of plants in the reinforced soil also increased significantly. As the curing time increased, the compressive strength of the reinforced soil peaked at 7 days before declining. The soil reinforced with PVA-treated straw showed better compressive strength and water stability than untreated straw. The PVA treatment did not negatively affect plant germination or growth, only slightly affecting early plant promotion. The test results provide a scientific basis for the implementation of more sustainable and environmentally friendly civil engineering practices.

Agricultural activities contribute to numerous waste problems and have emerged as a significant environmental concern. Nondegradable plastic residues decompose, releasing microplastics and affecting ecosystems and the environment. Consequently, biodegradable bio-composite films consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), natural rubber (NR), and rice straw (RS) have been developed with the aim of using them in agricultural applications. In this study, the PLA/NR blend, at a fixed ratio of 60/40 wt%, was filled with 3 and 5 wt% RS powder and extruded through a slit die into films. The biodegradability of all films was examined after being buried for 90 days in soil with a moisture content of 30% by weight. The neat PLA film showed the lowest weight loss percentage, 3.33%, suggesting a comparatively slower degradation rate in comparison to the PLA/NR(60:40) blend and all bio-composite films. The presence of 40 wt% NR in the film helped accelerate the biodegradation process during soil burial. The film produced from PLA/NR 60:40 wt% matrix filled with RS at 5 wt% led to rapid degradation, leading to a weight loss of 8.30%. From SEM micrographs, the morphology of all polymers after burial in soil showed fractures, the formation of pores, and obvious surface indications of fungi growing. The content of carbon decreased after soil burial, while oxygen content increased, and nitrogen was detected. The XRD analysis revealed low crystallinity in the neat PLA, consistent with the DSC analysis. The addition of NR and RS to the composites led to an increase in the crystallinity of PLA phase. All investigated materials exhibited an increase in crystallinity after being buried in soil. This research demonstrates that bio-composite films manufactured from the PLA/NR(60:40) blend filled with RS degrade more easily than unmodified PLA film.

Background Utilizing rice straw biochar (RSB) presents a novel approach to overcome toxicity of arsenic (As) in agricultural settings. Similarly, silicon (Si) has emerged as an effective agent for overcoming metal stress within agricultural crops. The present study investigates into the syringic application of RSB and Si in ameliorating As-induced stressed in Oryza sativa L. (rice) seedlings. Methods In the present study, we have used different levels of RSB (0, 2.5, and 5% w/w) and Si (0, 1.5, and 3 mM) to O. sativa seedlings when exposed to different levels of As stress i.e., 0, 50 and 100 mu M to examine plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange characteristics, oxidative stress indicators, and the response of various antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) and their specific gene expression, proline metabolism, the AsA-GSH cycle, cellular fractionation in the plants. Results Our results showed that the increasing concentration of As in the soil significantly (P < 0.05) decreased total plant length, root length, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight and root dry weight by 26, 12, 18, 34, 39 and 20% respectively, compared to the plants which were grown in the 0 M of As in the soil. Additionally, As stress in the soil increased the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes oxidative damaged to membranous bounded organelles, increases organic acids, As concentration, affects antioxidants, proline metabolism, AsA-GSH cycle and cellular fractionation. Although, Although, the application of Si and RSB showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds, and their gene expression and also decreased oxidative stress. In addition, the application of Si and RSB enhanced cellular fractionation and decreased the proline metabolism and AsA-GSH cycle in O. sativa seedlings. Conclusion These results open new insights for sustainable agriculture practices and hold immense promise in addressing the pressing challenges of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.

The dynamic triaxial test is conducted on the straw-reinforced red clay under different conditions (straw reinforcement rate, confining pressure, and frequency) using British GDS dynamic triaxial apparatus. Five parameters, which are slope k of the long axis of the hysteretic curve, the ratio alpha of the long axis to the short axis of the hysteretic curve, the distance d between the two centers of the adjacent hysteretic curve, the area S of hysteretic curve, and the residual strain epsilon p, are used to quantitatively study the morphological characteristics of hysteretic curves. The results show that S, d, alpha, and epsilon p of the hysteretic curve of straw-reinforced red clay increase prominently with the increase of dynamic load, and decrease with increasing confining pressure and frequency. k decreases logarithmically with the increase of dynamic load, and increases with rising frequency and confining pressure. Under the same dynamic stress amplitude and five different reinforcement conditions, the specimen is characterized by the highest dynamic strength, optimal deformation resistance, and excellent reinforcement performance when the reinforcement rate is 0.2%. Compared with the red clay unreinforced with straw, the straw-reinforced red clay has an increased stiffness and elastic modulus, and decreased viscosity, energy dissipation capacity, microscopic damage, and residual plastic strain of soil. To sum up, the dynamic properties of straw-reinforced red clay are significantly improved compared with that of red clay unreinforced with straw.

Petroleum-based agricultural films, which is widely utilized, exacerbates the oil resource shortage and environmental pollution by leaving large amounts of residue in the soil. Agricultural films made of petroleum need to be replaced with biodegradable agricultural films that have the potential to increase temperature, maintain moisture, and be biodegradable in order to tackle this issue. Here, regenerated cellulose and boron nitrogen nanosheets (BNNS) were combined and processed by dissolution, regeneration, and freeze-drying to fabricated regenerated cellulose/BNNS aerogel films (RCB aerogel films). Regenerated cellulose as main skeleton of the aerogel films, while BNNS acted as filling materials to modulate the film's thermal conductivity (4.023 W center dot m-1 center dot K-1) for transferring heat both internally and externally. Meanwhile, the regenerated cellulose endows the RCB aerogel films, shows high solar emissivity up to 0.96, and emits strongly in the atmospheric transparency window thereby achieving radiating cooling of 6 celcius on a hot day for mulch films. Additionally, rice straw cellulose is dissolved in regenerated cellulose sheets from the regeneration process, accelerating the degradation of RCB aerogel films. The results of biodegradation tests show that the RCB aerogel films have been completely degraded within 25 days. RCB aerogel films also have excellent mechanical properties, folding, and moisture management properties. In summary, the fabricated RCB aerogel films in this work had potential application in agricultural mulch films due to their thermal management properties, mechanical properties, degradation properties, and the development and application of biodegradable mulch can greatly reduce the increasing environmental pollution pressure.