Preparation and evaluation of a polymeric resin as a stabiliser for desertification control

Desertification and the conversion of soil into dunes, driven by wind or water erosion, are among the most serious environmental issues facing many countries, including developed ones. Arab countries are among the regions with large desert areas or are experiencing desertification. One effective way to combat desertification is by stabilizing sand and soil with various compounds, such as polymer resins. In this study, urea-formaldehyde polymer resins were successfully used to stabilize dune and soil structures. Laboratory and field tests demonstrated that applying resin significantly enhanced soil aggregate stability, increasing the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates from ?0.053 mm in untreated soils to over 1.60 mm in treated soils, and markedly raising the percentage of aggregates larger than 1 mm. These structural improvements directly contributed to increased resistance against wind and water erosion. The results also highlighted the importance of these new resins in increasing maize plant growth rates.