Blogs

The November 1979 issue of National Geographic highlights Iran’s use of oil-based mulch to stabilize shifting sand dunes near Ahvaz. This method reduced sandstorms and enabled reforestation in the desert.

This study investigates the long-term effects of oil mulch on biodiversity indices of soil macrofauna and vegetation in the Jask region. Results indicate that oil mulch significantly increases the richness and diversity of soil macrofauna but has no significant impact on plant diversity after 10 to 14 years.

This study evaluates the effects of using petroleum mulch for sand dune stabilization and the potential soil contamination by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Petroleum mulch, produced from heavy petroleum residues, has been widely used in Iran to combat desertification. Soil samples were collected from various regions in three provinces: Khuzestan, Kerman, and Sistan. The PAHs content in soils beneath the mulch layer and in control (non-mulched) sites was measured. The results indicated that the levels of PAHs, particularly Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), in soils beneath the mulch layer were below the permissible limits set by national standards. Additionally, the penetration of these compounds into the soil depth was minimal, decreasing to 1/40 of the initial amount after several years. Therefore, petroleum mulch and the contaminated soils are considered safe materials.

In this study, the effect of penetration and temperature changes on the performance specifications of bitumen was investigated experimentally. In this regard, it was ensured that the bitumen was obtained from a constant raw material and oxidation process at different times from the reactor. Experiments were carried out on bitumen with different penetration