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In our cover story, we shine a spotlight on “ The Magazine
The image of decomposed granite likely evokes thoughts of rough-hewn landscapes or rustic garden paths. However, today’s scientific research along with state-of-the-art laboratory analyses are proving to be quite novel underneath the rugged surface. Setting aside gardening, decomposed granite is now gaining limelight in laboratories for its low cost and sustainable nature.
Granites, like other materials, undergo a natural weathering process over millions of years which gives rise to a product called decomposed granite. This form of gravel, DG, differs from traditional gravel in that its compressive strength is markedly higher. This enables the granules to be compacted into a water permeable surface far more rigid and resilient than DG. This makes it especially desirable in landscaping as well as construction.
Through a combination of recent studies and experiments, new untraditional functions for DG have emerged in the scientific world:
Because of their green flooring, many institutions have recently adopted DG as structural components within low-traffic laboratory areas and greenhouses.
In addition to functioning as sustainable insulators, they help to regulate temperatures in urban areas where water runoff is managed, which makes them particularly useful for green lab constructions.
Soil and water filtration researchers discovered that decomposed granite (DG) is a plentiful and effective natural medium for filtration columns. Its physical structure supports the removal of sediments and heavy metals, emulating the natural filtration systems present in groundwater aquifers.
The primary focus of research on DG minerals is its biofementation and ion-exchange processes. Certain geochemists focus on the decomposed granite’s relationship with microbial communities and its contributions to biogeochemical cycles, which is cutting-edge work in environmental microbiology and agronomy.
DG is now being looked at for use as a substitute in terrestrial simulations of lunar and martian regolith. Its use is in mobility, drilling, and agricultural tests for lunar and martian rovers as well as some tests on rover mobility drills and farming experiments which involve sand and rock drilling due to its mineral and textural resemblance to some lunar and martian terrains.
In the case of research and educational institutions, there is a clear shift towards sustainable procurement, making DG an unusual instance of a low-cost and low-carbon footprint material. Unlike other synthetic materials, DG requires little processing and is abundantly located throughout Asia and North America.
Would decomposed granite perhaps be included as a criterion in a green lab certification or any programs in environmental science? As science evolves toward more sustainable methods and lean resource deployment, DG’s unpretentious role could become a principal component in the laboratory of the future.
While perhaps started in our yards, the journey of this material is just beginning.
