LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: Military training activities often result in environmental degradation due to creation of

Description

Military training activities often result in environmental degradation due to creation of heavily disturbed soil areas including dirt road beds, vehicular training areas, tank trails, terrain subject to wildfires, artillery impact areas, helipads and dirt landing areas for aircraft. These areas are currently resistant to revegetation efforts and are also susceptible to sediment loss through water erosion and the generation of dust through wind erosion. Traditional revegetation and dust reduction processes requires application of a moisture retention agent, typically a petroleum-derived polymer. Surface applied fertilization provides temporary vegetative growth but often leads to nutrient transport to and utrophication of surface waters, while petrochemical products most often used as soil additives are known to leach carcinogenic monomers. Luna Innovations, in collaboration with Virginia Tech, has developed a comprehensive system for the treatment of disturbed soils with a versatile bio-based formulation for revegetation and soil stabilization. This green system will take advantage of the Army"s Rhizobium tropici biopolymer"s unique properties and combine them with a cost effective and efficient treatment and delivery method. Luna"s technology will be compatible with conventional loosening and hydroseeding equipment, and will eliminate the use of all petroleum-based additives in the formulation.