Stories
Scientists Create Living Sand Using Bacteria to Retain Water in Deserts
- •Researchers from Khalifa University in UAE and Switzerland developed a special living sand using bacteria and fungus to combat desertification.
- •Lab tests showed that the bacteria-infused sand can retain water six times longer and reduce water leakage by up to 28 times compared to normal sand.
- •The bacteria Komagataeibacter medellinensis produces fine cellulose fibers that bind sand particles together, creating a natural and biodegradable composite material.
- •A pressure test revealed that sand samples strengthened with cellulose sheets could easily bear a heavy 10-kilogram weight without dissolving in water.
- •While the technology holds massive potential for farming in arid regions, practical challenges like maintaining bacterial growth in open desert heat still need to be addressed.
Key Questions Answered
Researchers used a special cellulose-producing bacterium called Komagataeibacter medellinensis alongside two species of the fungus Schizophyllum commune. These microorganisms and nutrients weave an intricate network of fine cellulose fibers that firmly bind the sand particles together.
Lab tests revealed that sand containing bacterial fibers retained water six times longer than normal sand. Furthermore, placing a thin cellulose sheet made of bacteria between sand layers reduced water leakage by up to 28 times, and increased moisture-absorbing capacity from 20.2 percent to 25.5 percent.
The study has only been tested at an initial lab level where bacteria were provided with controlled temperatures, water, and oxygen. Maintaining those exact conditions in the scorching desert is difficult, and the growth of bacteria in test samples was not uniform.
