{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T18:34:25Z","timestamp":1763145265620,"version":"3.45.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763078400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the Sichuan Province National Natural Science Foundation of China","award":["24NSFSC0260"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["24NSFSC0260"]}]},{"name":"the 3rd series of the Guangxi Transportation Keynote Research Program in 2020","award":["XFZ-KY-LYH-20200112"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["XFZ-KY-LYH-20200112"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The large pores and lack of water storage capacity limit the ecological rehabilitation of the waste residue. Modified hydrophilic polyurethane (W-OH) was used to improve the water retention of the residue. The water retention capacity of residues with different mass concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%) of W-OH solution based on water mass was evaluated for several drying-wetting (D-W) cycles at 30\u00b0C and 50\u00b0C. The plant growth experiment investigated the plant growth status of waste residue before and after adding W-OH, to demonstrate the excellent water retention of W-OH under the same waste residue. Infiltration tests showed that W-OH effectively increased the volumetric water content (VWC) of waste residue and reduced its drying time. Untreated residue had 11.62% saturated initial VWC and 152\u2009h drying time; 3% and 5% W-OH groups showed similar results (17.63%\u221218.09% VWC, 288\u2013304\u2009h drying time), so 3% W-OH is recommended for less usage. After 4 dry-wet cycles, both groups had reduced VWC and drying time. However, the 3% W-OH-treated residue still exhibited better water retention. A dense membrane is formed by W-OH solution around waste residue particles, enclosing\/connecting particles, filling pores (reducing large ones), increasing capillary water storage, and hindering water evaporation. Degraded by more D-W cycles and higher temperature, the membrane weakens water retention, yet W-OH-treated residue still has better water retention than the untreated residue. Water retention of improved waste residue was enhanced, and plant growth promoted, per plant growth tests. After 21-day planting, Amorpha fruticosa in 3% W-OH-treated residue had better growth parameters than in untreated residue. This means that the waste grade treated with 3% W-OH can provide more water for plants to meet their growth needs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0332470","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T18:29:33Z","timestamp":1763144973000},"page":"e0332470","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Environmentally friendly polymers are used to enhance the water retention capacity of waste residue and the potential for vegetation growth"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Jun Kang","family":"Zhao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4019-5303","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Qun","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lu","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cheng","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ting Quan","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0332470.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"376","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2015.07.027","article-title":"The manufacture of lightweight aggregates from recycled masonry rubble","volume":"98","author":"A Mueller","year":"2015","journal-title":"Construction and Building Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106683","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gexplo.2020.106683","article-title":"Reprocessing feasibility of polymetallic waste rock for cleaner and sustainable mining","volume":"220","author":"H Amar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Geochemical Exploration"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"132162","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2023.132162","article-title":"Cemented waste rock backfill enhancement via fly ash-graphene oxide hybrid under different particle size distribution","volume":"394","author":"Y Gao","year":"2023","journal-title":"Construction and Building Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1007\/s11104-019-04060-7","article-title":"The addition of mine waste rock to topsoil improves microsite potential and seedling emergence from broadcast seeds in an arid environment","volume":"440","author":"PJ Golos","year":"2019","journal-title":"Plant Soil"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0332470.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2655","DOI":"10.1007\/s00603-016-0914-3","article-title":"Evaluation of the Strength of Railway Ballast Using Point Load Test for Various Size Fractions and Particle Shapes","volume":"49","author":"M Koohmishi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Rock Mech Rock Eng"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122089","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2020.122089","article-title":"Alternative fine aggregates in production of sustainable concrete- A review","volume":"268","author":"SK Kirthika","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Cleaner Production"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101534","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jobe.2020.101534","article-title":"Sandstone cutting waste as partial replacement of fine aggregates in concrete: A mechanical strength perspective","volume":"32","author":"S Mundra","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Building Engineering"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"120673","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2020.120673","article-title":"Feasibility analysis of treating recycled rock dust as an environmentally friendly alternative material in Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)","volume":"258","author":"R Yang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Cleaner Production"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128218","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2022.128218","article-title":"Railway ballast material selection and evaluation: A review","volume":"344","author":"Y Guo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Construction and Building Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2017.11.036","article-title":"Crushing characteristics of a recycled aggregate from waste concrete","volume":"160","author":"S-S Park","year":"2018","journal-title":"Construction and Building Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127775","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2021.127775","article-title":"Development of an eco-friendly ultra-high performance concrete based on waste basalt powder for Sichuan-Tibet Railway","volume":"312","author":"Y Li","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Cleaner Production"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecoleng.2012.12.074","article-title":"Runoff-driven nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics of substrate material for rocky slope eco-engineering","volume":"51","author":"Z Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Ecological Engineering"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0332470.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1007\/s40641-018-0101-6","article-title":"Climate Change and Drought: a Precipitation and Evaporation Perspective","volume":"4","author":"A Dai","year":"2018","journal-title":"Curr Clim Change Rep"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0332470.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"707","DOI":"10.1007\/s10163-014-0297-z","article-title":"Utilization of granulated lead slag as a structural material in roads constructions","volume":"17","author":"T Buzatu","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Mater Cycles Waste Manag"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0332470.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"812","DOI":"10.1007\/s10924-022-02543-w","article-title":"Superabsorbent Polymer with Excellent Water\/Salt Absorbency and Water Retention, and Fast Swelling Properties for Preventing Soil Water Evaporation","volume":"31","author":"H Tian","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Polym Environ"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0332470.ref016","article-title":"Biochar particle size, shape, and porosity act together to influence soil water properties","volume":"12","author":"Z Liu","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332470.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0227957","article-title":"Analysis on hydraulic characteristics of improved sandy soil with soft rock","volume":"15","author":"Y Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1016\/j.soilbio.2017.10.002","article-title":"Microbial extracellular polymeric substances improve water retention in dryland biological soil crusts","volume":"116","author":"A Adessi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Soil Biology and Biochemistry"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0332470.ref019","article-title":"Potential Drought Mitigation Through Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation\u2010MICP","volume":"57","author":"B Liu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Water Resources Research"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cscm.2023.e02086","article-title":"Field experimentation of bio-cementation using low-cost cementation media for preservation of slope surface","volume":"18","author":"S Gowthaman","year":"2023","journal-title":"Case Studies in Construction Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2017.05.219","article-title":"A case of water absorption and water\/fertilizer retention performance of super absorbent polymer modified sulphoaluminate cementitious materials","volume":"150","author":"L Li","year":"2017","journal-title":"Construction and Building Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref022","article-title":"Mechanical properties of loess subgrade treated by superabsorbent polymer","volume":"18","author":"Z Luo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Case Studies in Construction Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118636","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2021.118636","article-title":"Preparation and fertilizer retention\/anti-leakage performances of superabsorbent composite based on hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose","volume":"274","author":"X Ye","year":"2021","journal-title":"Carbohydr Polym"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cscm.2024.e04075","article-title":"Effect of polyacrylate polymer on the mechanical and water retention properties of cemented soil: A multiscale investigation","volume":"21","author":"L Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Case Studies in Construction Materials"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cscm.2025.e04555","article-title":"Sustainable stabilization of sandy soils using steel slag and biopolymer cellulose","volume":"22","author":"J Mugula","year":"2025","journal-title":"Case Studies in Construction Materials"},{"issue":"15","key":"pone.0332470.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17642","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-020-08135-2","article-title":"Improving the consolidation properties of hydrophilic polyurethane for feldspathic sandstone water erosion prevention","volume":"27","author":"Z Liang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ Sci Pollut Res Int"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0332470.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"674","DOI":"10.2472\/jsms.60.674","article-title":"Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Chemical Sand-Fixing Material of Hydrophilic Polyurethane","volume":"60","author":"Z Wu","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Soc Mat Sci, Japan"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103065","DOI":"10.1016\/j.coldregions.2020.103065","article-title":"Evaluation and improvement on the freeze-thaw durability performance of the polyurethane stabilized Pisha sandstone for water and soil conservation","volume":"177","author":"W Ma","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cold Regions Science and Technology"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0332470.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2131","DOI":"10.3390\/polym15092131","article-title":"Effect of Hydrophilic Polyurethane on Interfacial Shear Strength of Pisha Sandstone Consolidation under Freeze-Thaw Cycles","volume":"15","author":"W Ma","year":"2023","journal-title":"Polymers (Basel)"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0332470.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1144","DOI":"10.3390\/su13031144","article-title":"Erosion Control and Growth Promotion of W-OH Material on Red Clay Highway Slopes: A Case Study in South China","volume":"13","author":"X Qin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref031","first-page":"1","article-title":"Study on the Permeability Characteristics of Polyurethane Soil Stabilizer Reinforced Sand","volume":"2017","author":"J Liu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Advances in Materials Science and Engineering"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107330","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enggeo.2023.107330","article-title":"Improving soil resilience to drought climate by an eco-friendly approach","volume":"326","author":"L Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Engineering Geology"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref033","article-title":"Durability of the Pisha sandstone consolidation body treated by hydraulic polyurethane in UV simulated test","volume":"27","author":"ZS Liang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Fresenius Environmental Bulletin"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0332470.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5043","DOI":"10.1007\/s11440-022-01573-x","article-title":"Changes in strength, hydraulic conductivity and microstructure of superabsorbent polymer stabilized soil subjected to wetting\u2013drying cycles","volume":"17","author":"X Bian","year":"2022","journal-title":"Acta Geotech"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0332470.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"739","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geotexmem.2016.05.007","article-title":"Hydraulic conductivity and swelling ability of a polymer modified bentonite subjected to wet\u2013dry cycles in seawater","volume":"44","author":"M De Camillis","year":"2016","journal-title":"Geotextiles and Geomembranes"},{"key":"pone.0332470.ref036","unstructured":"GB\/T 50123-2019. Standard for geotechnical testing method. 2017 (in Chinese)."},{"issue":"09","key":"pone.0332470.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1025","DOI":"10.4236\/jep.2012.39119","article-title":"Study of Mechanism of the W-OH Sand Fixation","volume":"03","author":"W Gao","year":"2012","journal-title":"JEP"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0332470.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2398","DOI":"10.3390\/polym12102398","article-title":"Desiccation Cracking Behavior of Polyurethane and Polyacrylamide Admixed Clayey Soils","volume":"12","author":"C Qi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Polymers (Basel)"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0332470.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geoderma.2011.07.018","article-title":"Desiccation and cracking behaviour of clay layer from slurry state under wetting\u2013drying cycles","volume":"166","author":"C-S Tang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Geoderma"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0332470.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.1016\/j.polymdegradstab.2009.01.013","article-title":"IR-change and yellowing of polyurethane as a result of UV irradiation","volume":"94","author":"D Rosu","year":"2009","journal-title":"Polymer Degradation and Stability"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0332470","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T18:29:43Z","timestamp":1763144983000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0332470"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Muammar","family":"Qadafi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0332470","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1932-6203"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]}}}