{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T19:33:14Z","timestamp":1775071994069,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,27]],"date-time":"2020-12-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1609027200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PTW PTDC\/AAGREC\/3839\/2014"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTW PTDC\/AAGREC\/3839\/2014"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PTDC\/CTA-AMB\/31820\/2017"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/CTA-AMB\/31820\/2017"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UIDB\/00285\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00285\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028382"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028382"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/ECI\/04029\/2013"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/ECI\/04029\/2013"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100010661","name":"Horizon 2020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["821096"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["821096"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100010661","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Chemical stabilization of soils is one of the most used techniques to improve the properties of weak soils in order to allow their use in geotechnical works. Although several binders can be used for this purpose, Portland cement is still the most used binder (alone or combined with others) to stabilize soils. However, the use of Portland cement is associated with many environmental problems, so microbiological-based approaches have been explored to replace conventional methods of soil stabilization as sustainable alternatives. Thus, the use of biopolymers, produced by microorganisms, has emerged as a technical alternative for soil improvement, mainly due to soil pore-filling, which is called the bioclogging method. Many studies have been carried out in the last few years to investigate the suitability and efficiency of the soil\u2013biopolymer interaction and consequent properties relevant to geotechnical engineering. This paper reviews some of the recent applications of the xanthan gum biopolymer to evaluate its viability and potential to improve soil properties. In fact, recent results have shown that the use of xanthan gum in soil treatment induces the partial filling of the soil voids and the generation of additional links between the soil particles, which decreases the permeability coefficient and increases the mechanical properties of the soil. Moreover, the biopolymer\u2019s economic viability was also analyzed in comparison to cement, and studies have demonstrated that xanthan gum has a strong potential, both from a technical and economical point of view, to be applied as a soil treatment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app11010170","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,27]],"date-time":"2020-12-27T20:04:58Z","timestamp":1609099498000},"page":"170","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":80,"title":["A Review on the Importance of Microbial Biopolymers Such as Xanthan Gum to Improve Soil Properties"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1430-8546","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amanda","family":"Mendon\u00e7a","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1939-6389","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paula V.","family":"Morais","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0219-6321","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Cec\u00edlia","family":"Pires","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana Paula","family":"Chung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Paulo Venda","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISISE, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chang, I., Im, J., and Cho, G.-C. (2016). Introduction of microbial biopolymers in soil treatment for future environmentally friendly and sustainable geotechnical engineering. Sustainability, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/su8030251"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1007\/s11157-007-9126-3","article-title":"Applications of microorganisms to geotechnical engineering for bioclogging and biocementation of soil in situ","volume":"7","author":"Ivanov","year":"2008","journal-title":"Rev. Environ. Sci. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1007\/s100409900043","article-title":"Modeling microbial processes in porous media","volume":"8","author":"Murphy","year":"2000","journal-title":"Hydrogeol. J."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Basu, D., and Misra, A. (2013, January 2\u20136). Sustainability in Geotechnical Engineering. Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Paris, France."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1016\/j.geoderma.2012.03.002","article-title":"Water availability in different soils in relation to hydrogel application","volume":"187\u2013188","author":"Narjary","year":"2012","journal-title":"Geoderma"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Murthy, V.N.S. (2016). Geotechnical Engineering: Principles and Pratices of Soil Mechanics and Foudation Engineering, Marcel Dekker, Inc."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1080\/10643389891254197","article-title":"Environmental Impact and Mechanisms of the Biological Clogging of Saturated Soils and Aquifer Materials","volume":"28","author":"Baveye","year":"2010","journal-title":"Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1016\/S0142-9418(01)00107-6","article-title":"Biopolymers: Overview of several properties and consequences on their applications","volume":"21","author":"Velde","year":"2002","journal-title":"Polym. Test."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118415","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2020.118415","article-title":"Review on geotechnical engineering properties of sands treated by microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) and biopolymers","volume":"246","author":"Choi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Constr. Build. Mater."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jose, A., and Carvalho, F. (2011). Starch as Source of Polymeric Materials. Biopolymers: Biomedical and Environmental Applications, Wiley.","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118164792.ch4"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1016\/S0920-4105(03)00019-6","article-title":"Biopolymer plugging effect: Laboratory-pressurized pumping flow studies","volume":"38","author":"Khachatoorian","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Petroleum. Sci. Eng."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.1080\/19386362.2016.1152674","article-title":"Use of agar biopolymer to improve the shear strength behavior of sabarmati sand","volume":"10","author":"Smitha","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Geotech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"00341","article-title":"Improving soil physical properties related to hydrological behaviour by inducing microbiological changes after organic amendments","volume":"7","author":"Guerrero","year":"2005","journal-title":"Geophys. Res."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"253","article-title":"Soil treatment using microbial biopolymers for anti-desertification purposes","volume":"44","author":"Chang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Geoderma"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"430","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2014.12.116","article-title":"Soil strengthening using thermo-gelation biopolymers","volume":"77","author":"Chang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Const. Build. Mat."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1222","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)1090-0241(2005)131:10(1222)","article-title":"Biological considerations in geotechnical engineering","volume":"131","author":"Mitchell","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2014.10.026","article-title":"Effects of Xanthan gum biopolymer on soil strengthening","volume":"74","author":"Chang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Constr. Build. Mater."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1710","DOI":"10.1021\/bm070050x","article-title":"Effect of Water Content on the Structural Reorganization and Elastic Properties of Biopolymer Films: A Comparative Study","volume":"8","author":"Yakimets","year":"2007","journal-title":"Biomacromolecules"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.1002\/1097-0290(20010205)72:3<353::AID-BIT13>3.0.CO;2-U","article-title":"Biomass plug development and propagation in porous media","volume":"72","author":"Stewart","year":"2001","journal-title":"Biotechnol. Bioeng."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"549","DOI":"10.1016\/S0734-9750(00)00050-1","article-title":"Xanthan gum: Production, recovery, and properties","volume":"18","author":"Santos","year":"2000","journal-title":"Biotechnol. Adv."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1680\/geot.2007.00137","article-title":"Hydraulic conductivity of biopolymer-treated silty sand","volume":"59","author":"Bouazza","year":"2009","journal-title":"Geotechnique"},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Mendon\u00e7a, A.C.S. (2020). Use of Microbial Biopolymer to Decrease Soil Permeability by Bioclogging. [Master\u2019s Thesis, University of Coimbra]."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pansu, M., and Gautheyrou, J. (2006). Handbook of Soil Analysis\u2014Mineralogical, Organic and Inorganic Methods, Springer-Verlag.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-540-31211-6"},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"453","article-title":"Geotechnical engineering behavior of biopolymer-treated soft marine soil","volume":"17","author":"Kwon","year":"2019","journal-title":"Geomech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1206","DOI":"10.1139\/cgj-2018-0254","article-title":"Soil consistency and interparticle characteristics of Xanthan gum biopolymer\u2013containing soils with pore-fluid variation","volume":"56","author":"Chang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Can. Geotech. J."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Kucharski, E.S., Winchester, W., Leeming, W.A., Cord-Ruwisch, R., Muir, C., Banjup, W.A., Whiffin, V.S., Al-Thawadi, S., and Mutlaq, J. (2006). Microbial Biocementation. (No.PCT\/AU2005\/001927), International Patent Application."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"687","DOI":"10.1007\/s004499900054","article-title":"Studies on xanthan production from Xanthomonas campestris","volume":"23","author":"Sharma","year":"2000","journal-title":"Bioprocess. Eng."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2020\/1465709","article-title":"A Review of the Application of Biopolymers on Geotechnical Engineering and the Strengthening Mechanisms between Typical Biopolymers and Soils","volume":"2020","author":"Jang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. Hindawi"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"371","DOI":"10.1007\/s12517-016-2366-1","article-title":"Evaluating the physical characteristics of biopolymer\/soil mixtures","volume":"9","author":"Ayeldeen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Arab. J. Geosci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"831","DOI":"10.12989\/gae.2017.12.5.831","article-title":"Geotechnical shear behavior of xanthan gum biopolymer treated sand from direct shear testing","volume":"12","author":"Lee","year":"2017","journal-title":"Geomech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"356","DOI":"10.1007\/s11204-017-9481-1","article-title":"Effects of Xanthan Gum Biopolymer on the Permeability, Odometer, Unconfined Compressive and Triaxial Shear Behavior of a Sand","volume":"54","author":"Cabalar","year":"2017","journal-title":"Soil Mech. Found. Eng."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Cabral, D.J.R. (2020). Stabilization of a Soil through the Use of Biopolymers: Effect of the Content and Curing Time. [Master\u2019s Thesis, University of Coimbra]. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"785","DOI":"10.12989\/gae.2017.12.5.785","article-title":"Strength and durability characteristics of biopolymer-treated desert sand","volume":"12","author":"Qureshi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Geomech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"06019012","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002909","article-title":"Xanthan gum Biopolymer as Soil-Stabilization Binder for Road Construction Using Local Soil in Sri Lanka","volume":"31","author":"Lee","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Mater. Civ. Eng."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1863","DOI":"10.28991\/cej-2019-03091380","article-title":"Sustainable Improvement of Expansive Clays Using Xanthan Gum as a Biopolymer","volume":"5","author":"Joga","year":"2019","journal-title":"Civ. Eng. J."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chang, I., Jeon, M., and Cho, G.C. (2015). Application of microbial biopolymers as an alternative construction binder for earth buildings in underdeveloped countries. Int. J. Polym. Sci.","DOI":"10.1155\/2015\/326745"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"813","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2018.02.028","article-title":"A novel study on using protein based biopolymers in soil strengthening","volume":"167","author":"Fatehi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Constr. Build. Mater."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1802","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000902","article-title":"Biopolymer Stabilization of Mine Tailings","volume":"139","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04016204","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001706","article-title":"Improvement of Problematic Soils with Biopolymer\u2014An Environmentally Friendly Soil Stabilizer","volume":"29","author":"Latifi","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Mater. Civ. Eng."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-57135-x","article-title":"Biopolymers as a sustainable solution for the enhancement of soil mechanical properties","volume":"10","author":"Soldo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"309","DOI":"10.1680\/jgele.17.00081","article-title":"Mechanical properties of biopolymer-stabilised soil-based construction materials","volume":"7","author":"Muguda","year":"2017","journal-title":"G\u00e9otech. Lett."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"271","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2018.11.120","article-title":"The drying effect on xanthan gum biopolymer treated sandy soil shear strength","volume":"197","author":"Chen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Constr. Build. Mater."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"435","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2389.2000.00327.x","article-title":"Root and microbial-derived mucilages affect soil structure and water transport","volume":"51","author":"Czarnes","year":"2000","journal-title":"Eur. J. Soil Sci."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1402","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000861","article-title":"Improving mechanical properties of sand using biopolymers","volume":"139","author":"Khatami","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geotech. Geoenviron."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1007\/s10098-018-1625-0","article-title":"Use of Xanthan and guar gums in soil strengthening","volume":"21","author":"Dehghan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clean Technol. Environ. Policy"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1093","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jrmge.2020.02.004","article-title":"Effect of biopolymers on permeability of sand-bentonite mixtures","volume":"12","author":"Biju","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Rock Mech. Geotech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.3141\/2101-05","article-title":"Effect of exopolymers on the liquid limit of clays and its engineering implications","volume":"2101","author":"Nugent","year":"2010","journal-title":"Transp. Res. Rec."}],"container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3417\/11\/1\/170\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:46:35Z","timestamp":1760179595000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3417\/11\/1\/170"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,27]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]}},"alternative-id":["app11010170"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/app11010170","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3417"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3417","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,27]]}}}