Hydratable form of keratin for use as a soil amendment
AssigneesSouthwest Research Institute, Keraplast Technologies, Ltd.
InventorsRobert Allen Smith, Scott F. Timmons, Mark E. Van Dyke, Cheryl R. Blanchard, Arlene J. Siller-Jackson
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Abstract
A hydratable oxidized keratin composition comprising one or more metal ion species capable of absorbing water to form a hydrogel. The keratin material is useful as a soil amendment providing organic and inorganic nutrients. The keratin material is also useful as a nutrient source in the bioremediation of toxic contaminants soils and liquids.
Claims51
A soil amendment composition comprising an insoluble hydratable keratin or an insoluble keratin hydrogel, wherein said hydratable keratin or keratin hydrogel is associated with one or more cationic species.
A soil amendment composition comprising an insoluble keratin hydrogel or an insoluble hydratable keratin, wherein said keratin hydrogel or hydratable keratin is derived from hair, includes sulfonate groups and is associated with a plurality of metal ion species.
A soil amendment composition comprising an insoluble oxidized hydratable keratin made by the process comprising:
- (a) oxidizing disulfide bonds in a keratin material with an oxidizing agent to obtain an oxidized keratin solid having sulfonic acid residues;
- (b) contacting said oxidized keratin solid with a neutral or slightly alkaline water-miscible solvent containing one or metal ion species, such that said one or more metal ion species are associated with said oxidized keratin solid;
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- (c) substantially removing said water-miscible solvent to obtain an oxidized hydratable keratin.
A process for making an insoluble hydratable keratin-derived soil amendment material comprising the steps:
- (a) oxidizing a keratin material in a first solution with an oxidizing agent such that a portion of the disulfide bonds of said keratin material are oxidized to form sulfonate groups, to form an oxidized keratin solid fraction;
- (b) separating said oxidized keratin solid fraction from said first solution;
- (c) contacting said oxidized keratin fraction with a second solution comprising one or more metal ion species, dissolved in a neutral or slightly alkaline water-miscible solvent;
- (d) maintaining said second solution containing said oxidized keratin fraction and said one or more metal ion species for a time and temperature effective to cause an association between said oxidized keratin and said one or more metal ion species;
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- (e) substantially removing the solvent from said oxidized keratin fraction associated with said one or more cationic species to obtain a hydratable keratin material.
A method for increasing the water retention properties of soil, comprising addition to soil of an insoluble hydratable keratin material.
A method for providing trace metal nutrients to soil comprising addition to soil of an insoluble hydratable keratin material, wherein said keratin material is associated with a plurality of metal ion species.
A method for the bioremediation of soil comprising addition to soil of an insoluble hydratable keratin material, such that said hydratable keratin material provides a nutrient source for microorganisms capable of remediating soil contaminated with environmental toxins.
A method for the bioremediation of water contaminated with environmental toxins comprising contacting an insoluble hydratable keratin material with said contaminated water, wherein said keratin provides a nutrient source for microorganisms capable of remediating said water contaminated with environmental toxins.
A method for reducing the migration of environmental toxins in soil comprising addition to soil of an insoluble hydratable keratin material wherein said environmental toxins are adsorbed by said keratin material.
A method for reducing the migration of environmental toxins in groundwater comprising contacting a permeable barrier comprising an insoluble hydratable keratin material with a plume of said environmental toxins in groundwater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.