Cement industry is one of the main contributors to the global CO2 emission (around 8 to 10% of global annual CO2 emission is attributed to cement industry [1-3]). Although replacing 4 billion tons of cement produced globally and annually by other low carbon footprint materials seems to be a very challenging task (technologically speaking), even replacing a small percentage of the cement only used in geotechnical practice can be a huge achievement leading to reducing considerable amount of CO2 emission, if properly managed, as much as annual CO2 emission of a country like Latvia. Sajjad’s PhD research has been focused on developing new materials, which can be low carbon alternatives to cement, to be used in geotechnical engineering practice. His first paper, now in press, in scientific reports journal (a nature portfolio journal) reports his finding on the use of inulin, a novel biopolymer, which has not been used in geotechnical engineering and construction industry before. According to Sajjad's findings, inulin, favoring several agricultural waste sources and plant sources such as chicory root, agave, artichoke and several other ones has the potential to effectively strengthen soil (considerably increase its unconfined compressive strength) and mitigate soil wind-erosion potential.
Used in drug delivery, given its functional sites, as prebiotic, given its durability in human digestive system, as a matrix for scaffolds used in tissue engineering, given its strength, inulin, favoring lots of agricultural waste sources, had not been tasted/tested in construction technology.
Fun fact: Did you know chicory roots were used to prepare coffee in great depression period and world war II [4], in fact Sajjad’ inulin source has been chicory root. Anyhow, have fun reading his paper, available here:
Inulin biopolymer as a novel material for sustainable soil stabilization: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-82289-8
You may also read about CO2 emission induced by cement industry at:
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02612-5
[2] https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/11/3/cement-and-concrete-the-environmental-impact
[3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43660-x
[4] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/chicory-coffee-mix-new-orleans-made-own-comes-
The use of biopolymers in construction industry well aligns with UN sustainable development goals, please see them at: