Journal of Textile Research ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (07): 34-43.doi: 10.13475/j.fzxb.20260301001

• Academic Papers of the 28th Annual Meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology ·Special Column: Breakthroughs in Generic Technologies for Pollution and Carbon Reduction· • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Application of hemp degumming wastewater in sand fixation

YANG Jie1, DONG Zhen1,2()   

  1. 1 College of Textile and Clothing, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, China
    2 Jiangxi Enda Hemp Century Technology Co., Ltd., Xinyu, Jiangxi 336600, China
  • Received:2026-03-05 Revised:2026-05-11 Online:2026-07-15 Published:2026-07-29
  • Contact: DONG Zhen E-mail:d.zhen@ntu.edu.cn

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Abstract:

Objective The pollution caused by degumming wastewater has restricted the sustainable development of the hemp industry, as no mature remediation strategy is currently available. Meanwhile, commercial sand-fixing agents used in desertification control are predominantly synthetic polymers with poor biodegradability. In contrast, the colloids in hemp degumming wastewater consist mainly of polysaccharides, which readily form hydrogen bonds and exhibit excellent biodegradability, highlighting their potential as raw materials for sand-fixing agents. Therefore, converting this wastewater into sand-fixing products would not only mitigate pollution discharge but also contribute to the restoration of fragile ecosystems.

Method This study employed hemp degumming wastewater directly for sand-particle bonding, systematically investigating its sand-fixing potential from multiple perspectives, including optimization of application parameters, the influence of multi-colloid components, crust characteristics, and water-retention properties. Initially, a sand-fixing agent of a specified concentration was sprayed onto a sandy soil surface at a designed application rate, forming a sand crust upon drying. Using a target crust hardness of 1-2 kg/cm2, the application parameters were optimized. Subsequently, the structural characteristics and formation mechanism of the polysaccharide-induced crust were analyzed, and the sand-fixing efficacy of the polysaccharides was evaluated through comparative analysis with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and lignin.

Results The weight-average molecular weight (822 ku) and mass concentration (9.1 g/L) of polysaccharides in hemp degumming wastewater were significantly higher than those of other colloids, such as lignin, pectin, and protein, identifying them as the key factors governing sand crust formation. With increasing spraying volume, crust hardness showed an initial rapid increase before a slowing down, but as polysaccharide mass concentration rose, the crust hardness exhibited a slow initial growth followed by a sustained rapid rise. In order to achieve the target crust hardness of 1-2 kg/cm2, the optimal application parameters were determined as a spraying rate of 5 kg/m2 and a polysaccharide mass concentration of 5 g/L. Analysis revealed that achieving equivalent hardness required a hemp polysaccharide mass concentration 52% higher than that of PVA but 85% lower than that of lignin. Furthermore, while elevated mass concentrations of pectin, protein, and lignin generally enhanced the hardness of polysaccharide-based crusts, pectin showed the most pronounced effect. Nevertheless, low concentrations (0-0.2 g/L) of these additives exerted adverse effects. Structurally, the content of various colloids and the molecular weight of polysaccharides decreased from the top to the bottom of the crust, corresponding to a gradual reduction in density along the thickness direction. In order to maintain the ideal crust hardness range, the weight-average molecular weight of hemp polysaccharides should be confined to 50-500 ku. The water retention rate of hemp polysaccharide-based crust reached 30.3%, surpassing that of PVA (27.6%) and lignin (18.1%), thereby contributing to superior seed germination performance.

Conclusion The polysaccharide colloids in hemp degumming wastewater not only bind sand particles but also exhibit excellent biodegradability, positioning them as a high-quality raw material for sand-fixing agents used in the ecological restoration of desertified regions.

Key words: hemp, degumming wastewater, sand fixation, polysaccharide, sand-cemented crust, pectin, desertification control

CLC Number: 

  • TS129

Fig.1

Weight-average molecular weights (a) and mass concentrations (b) of four gum components in hemp degumming wastewater"

Fig.2

Influences of spraying rate on crust hardness and crust thickness.(a) Spraying rate-crust hardness; (b) Spraying rate-crust thickness"

Fig.3

Influences of polysaccharide mass concentration on crust hardness and crust thickness. (a) Polysaccharide mass concentration-crust hardness; (b) Polysaccharide mass concentration-crust thickness"

Fig.4

Influences of pectin (a), protein (b), and lignin (c) on polysaccharide-based sand fixation"

Fig.5

FT-IR spectra of polysaccharide crust"

Fig.6

Distribution of C element (a)and Ca element (b) on crust surface after synergistic sand fixation by polysaccharides and pectin"

Fig.7

High-resolution Ca 2p spectra of sand grain surfaces before (a) and after (b) synergistic sand fixation by polysaccharide and pectin"

Fig.8

Morphologies of sand aggregates in top layer (a), middle layer (b), and bottom layer (c) of polysaccharide crust"

Fig.9

Distribution of various gum substances in crust"

Tab.1

Weight-average molecular weight of polysaccharides in crust and viscosity of polysaccharide solution"

结壳位置 重均分子量/ku 黏度/(mPa·s)
结皮层 254±21a 3.6±0.2A
结壳中层 161±11b 3.2±0.2B
结壳底层 46±4c 2.7±0.1C

Fig.10

Influence of weight-average molecular weight of polysaccharides on crust hardness and thickness"

Fig.11

Water retention capacity and seed germination rate (a), and surface morphology (b) of polysaccharide crust"

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