Soil membrane forming mixture

Abstract

This invention relates to an organic, environment-friendly, preferably antioxidising and biodegradable climate, soil and growth enhancing mixture of preferably organic materials that can be applied to moist soil as dry matter or dry soil in liquid state, and which subsequently solidifies into a degradable film or membrane on top of or at a given depth in the soil. The properties of the film can be set so that the film regulates or changes the soil's oxidation ability, degradation rate, temperature, greenhouse gas respiration, combustibility, mechanical strength, evaporation rate, water runoff, nutrient conversion rate and germination conditions on and/or below the surface of the soil mass. The film or membrane can be used alone or in combination with standard plant nutrition or fertiliser.

1 . A mixture for treating a soil surface and/or a soil mass, comprising a mixture spread over the soil surface and/or arranged in the soil mass to be treated in such manner that a layer in the form of a film or membrane on the surface and/or some distance down in the soil to be treated is formed, 
 the mixture including a basic powder mixture of a water-soluble, dried and ground organic raw material, a film or membrane forming thickening agent and pigment; and    the basic mixture including at least one component which has a sufficient antioxidising effect to ensure that the membrane has an antioxidising effect on the surroundings.    
   
   
       2 . A mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the powder mixture is saturated with electrons to at least electrical neutrality.  
   
   
       3 . A mixture according to  claim 2 , wherein the powder mixture is oversaturated with electrons and has an excess of negative electric charges.  
   
   
       4 . A mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the basic mixture includes a growth medium for microalgae.  
   
   
       5 . A mixture according to wherein the basic mixture comprises from 1 to 50 parts by weight of organic raw material, 0.1 to 60 parts by weight of thickening agent and from 2-50 parts by weight of pigment.  
   
   
       6 . A mixture according to  claim 4 , wherein the basic mixture contains from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of microalgae.  
   
   
       7 . A mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic material is any material originating from the natural environment, the animal or plant kingdom, and that, in a dried and ground state, it contains fibres and adhesive compounds so that the material will function as a binder in the resulting film or membrane.  
   
   
       8 . A mixture according to  claim 7  wherein the raw organic material comprises substantially natural, industrial and/or household organic or biological waste.  
   
   
       9 . A mixture according to  claim 8 , wherein the vegetable debris is dried and ground seaweed, sea grass and/or kelp, and that 3 to 6 parts by weight thereof are used in the basic mixture.  
   
   
       10 . A mixture according to  claim 9 , wherein sea grass preferably comprises the species  Spartina  and/or reeds.  
   
   
       11 . A mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickening agent is xanthan or xanthan gum.  
   
   
       12 . A mixture according to  claim 11 , wherein the thickening agent is one or more alginates that are admixed and replace at least a part of the xanthan or xanthan gum, or that the one or more alginates replace all the xanthan or xanthan gum.  
   
   
       13 . A mixture according to  claim 11 , wherein the xanthan or xanthan gum is added in an amount of from 0.1 to 6 parts by weight.  
   
   
       14 . A mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein when it is desired to form a film or membrane having a high degree of reflection, one or more of the following materials in dry powder form are used as pigments: stone, lime, sand, clay, chalk, shells, white mineral pigments such as TiO 2 , white plant dyes and/or white plant fibres such as cotton, bog cotton or algae-based components having light characteristics.  
   
   
       15 . A mixture according  claim 1 , wherein when it is desired to form a film or membrane having a low degree of reflection, one or more of the following materials in dry power form are used: ash, coal, soot, carbon black, graphite and other known forms of elementary carbon and other pigments such as ochre, bone, animal shells, marine shells, fish-scales, mineral pigments, plant dyes, plant pigments or algae-based components having dark characteristics.  
   
   
       16 . A mixture according to  14 , wherein the pigments are added in an amount of from 0.1 to 25 parts by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight.  
   
   
       17 . A mixture according to  claim 15 , wherein the pigments are added in an amount of from 0.1. to 25 parts by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight.  
   
   
       18 . A mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the basic mixture has added thereto one or more of the following additives: binders, preservatives, fertilisers, water stabilisers, mineral salts, pH regulators, antioxidants and/or electrically conductive substances.  
   
   
       19 . A mixture according to  claim 18 , wherein the additives are also selected from substances or compounds which can be obtained in the form of natural, industrial and/or household organic or biological waste, and which preferably act as antioxidants.  
   
   
       20 . A mixture according to  claim 18 , wherein the binders comprise organic glue and adhesive agents having a high protein content, preferably albumin glue, casein glue, animal glue, agar, alginic acid, ground acorn barnacles, latex and/or sap.  
   
   
       21 . A mixture according to  claim 20 , wherein the binders are added in an amount of from 0.1 to 15 parts by weight, preferably 0.1 to 5 parts by weight.  
   
   
       22 . A mixture according to  claim 18 , wherein the binders further comprise one or more fibres selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibre, plant fibre, textile fibre, animal fibre and reinforcing fibre.  
   
   
       23 . A mixture according to  claim 22 , wherein the fibre materials are added in an amount of from 0.5 to 30 parts by weight.  
   
   
       24 . A mixture according to  claim 18 , wherein the fertiliser agents comprise one or more fertilisers selected from the group consisting of animal manure, fish guano, guano, urea, inorganic nutrient salts and micronutrients.  
   
   
       25 . A mixture according to  claim 24 , wherein the fertiliser materials are added in an amount of from 0.1 to 20, preferably 0.1. to 15, and more preferably 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of dry powder.  
   
   
       26 . A mixture according to  claim 18 , wherein the electrically conductive additives comprise one or more substances selected from the group consisting of readily soluble mineral salts, ash and/or carbon fibres.  
   
   
       27 . A mixture according to  claim 26 , wherein the electrically conductive substances are added in an amount of from 0.1 to 15, preferably 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of dry powder.  
   
   
       28 . A mixture according to  claim 18 , wherein the water stabilisers comprise one or more substances selected from the group consisting of plant oils, mucilage, organic waxes and organic oils.  
   
   
       29 . A mixture according to  claim 28 , wherein the water stabilisers are added in an amount of from 0.1 to 80, preferably from 0.1 to 25, and more preferably from 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of dry powder.  
   
   
       30 . A mixture according to  claim 18 , wherein the pH regulators comprise one of more substances selected from the group consisting of sap, basic minerals, ash, and salts of the alkaline and alkaline earth metals.  
   
   
       31 . A mixture according to  claim 30 , wherein the pH regulator is added in an amount of from 0.1 to 50, preferably from 0.1 to 10.  
   
   
       32 . A mixture according to  claim 31 , wherein the pH regulators are added in such quantity that the resulting membrane or film has a pH that is greater than 5, preferably in the range of pH 5 to 10.  
   
   
       33 . An erosion-moderating mixture, wherein the mixture is spread over the soil surface to be treated in such a manner that a layer in the form of a film or membrane is formed on the surface, 
 the mixture comprising a pure binder solution of 95 to 99.7% by weight water and from 0.3 to 5% by weight alginate    
   
   
       34 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane in the surface and/or in a layer at a given depth in a soil mass for the purpose of regulating/optimising the conditions to promote growth of vegetation.  
   
   
       35 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane in the surface of a soil mass for the purpose of binding loose surface particles and thereby reduce the local soil erosion.  
   
   
       36 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane in the surface of a soil mass for the purpose of forming a decorative cover.  
   
   
       37 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane in the surface of a soil mass for the purpose of altering the albedo of the soil surface.  
   
   
       38 . Use according to  claim 37 , where the purpose of altering the albedo is to reduce the heating of and thus the air temperature immediately above a ground surface by reducing the degree of absorption of incident sunlight exhibited by the ground surface.  
   
   
       39 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane in the surface of a soil mass with the purpose of lowering the albedo of the soil surface in a limited area to obtain local heating of the covered soil surface with the object of forming upward currents of air above this area.  
   
   
       40 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane in the surface of a soil mass for the purpose of acting as a growth-inhibiting membrane on a fire corridor in dense vegetation and/or to function as a non-combustible surface membrane or film.  
   
   
       41 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film of membrane in the surface of a soil mass for the purpose of binding loose surface particles and thus reducing local soil erosion.  
   
   
       42 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to recreate cultivation conditions in order to re-establish vegetation in areas that have become too cold, too hot, too dry etc.  
   
   
       43 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to regulate/lower the CO 2  respiration rate and thus the amount of CO 2  that is released per time unit from the biomass in a soil.  
   
   
       44 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane in the surface of a soil mass for the purpose of reducing water loss from the soil surface in the form of evaporation.  
   
   
       45 . Use of the mixture according to  claim 1  to form a solid film or membrane at a given distance or depth in a soil mass for the purpose of forming a water-impermeable membrane or film with the object of reducing water runoff to deeper soil layers.  
   
   
       46 . (canceled)  
   
   
       47 . (canceled)  
   
   
       48 . (canceled)  
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 48 , wherein it comprises: 
 actively planting or sowing new plant or vegetation varieties in combination with laying out the membrane.    
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 48  wherein it comprises: 
 adapting the amount of water-stabilising substances in order to obtain a surface membrane or film that has desired water permeability levels to reduce water loss/drying out of the soil mass.    
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 47 , wherein it comprises: 
 laying a membrane or film which lies immediately under the roots of the vegetation and which has little water permeability in order to reduce or eliminate water loss to the deeper layers of soil.    
   
   
       52 . (canceled)  
   
   
       53 . A method according to  claim 52 , wherein it comprises: 
 adding mineral salts to a minimum concentration of 300 ppm or more to render the membrane or film unsuitable for germinating seeds.    
   
   
       54 . (canceled)  
   
   
       55 . (canceled)  
   
   
       56 . (canceled)