"Living sand" technology for desert agriculture

In the UAE, only about 5% of the land is arable, and the country meets 10–15% of its food demand independently. Growing a harvest in sand is hindered by a lack of nutrients and the poor water-holding capacity of sand particles, which makes the soil susceptible to erosion. Specialists from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi have proposed using "living sand" technology to solve this problem.

The essence of the method lies in adding bacteria and fungi to the sand, which form a network of fibers and biopolymers that bind the particles together like a natural glue. For testing, the scientists used laboratory sand and samples from the Abu Dhabi dunes. The bacterial treatment increased the stability of the material and slowed down water movement sixfold. Sugars from organic waste can serve as a nutrient source for the microorganisms.

During the second method, the researchers utilized bacteria producing nanocellulose to create geotextiles—thin cellulosic sheets combined with sand in layers. This structure helped water seep through 28 times slower, though this approach is time-consuming.

The authors of the study note that the developed technologies do not yet turn sand into fertile soil and do not prove actual plant growth, but they impart the stability and moisture-retaining capacity necessary for potential agriculture to the sandy mass. As Gustav Nyström, head of Empa's Cellulose & Wood Materials laboratory, explained, this approach makes it possible to introduce organics and water into the sand, laying the foundation for the further development of microorganisms and plants.

Currently, the research is at the laboratory stage. The next stage will involve testing the treated sand in greenhouses and field conditions to verify its ability to support plant growth. The research paper has been published in the journal Carbohydrate Polymers.