Search Results (364)

Reducing post-harvest losses of cereal crops is a key challenge for ensuring global food security amid the limited arable land and growing population. This study investigates the effectiveness of electron beam irradiation (5 MeV, ILU-10 accelerator) as a physical decontamination method for various cereal crops cultivated in Kazakhstan. Samples were irradiated at doses ranging from 1 to 5 kGy, and microbiological indicators—including Quantity of Mesophilic Aerobic and Facultative Anaerobic Microorganisms (QMAFAnM), yeasts, and molds—were quantified according to national standards. Experimental results demonstrated an exponential decline in microbial contamination, with a >99% reduction achieved at doses of 4–5 kGy. The modeled inactivation kinetics showed strong agreement with the experimental data: R² = 0.995 for QMAFAnM and R² = 0.948 for mold, confirming the reliability of the exponential decay models. Additionally, key quality parameters—including protein content, moisture, and gluten—were evaluated post-irradiation. The results showed that protein levels remained largely stable across all doses, while slight but statistically insignificant fluctuations were observed in moisture and gluten contents. Principal component analysis and scatterplot matrix visualization confirmed clustering patterns related to radiation dose and crop type. The findings substantiate the feasibility of electron beam treatment as a scalable and safe technology for improving the microbiological quality and storage stability of cereal crops. Full article

Purpose: To present the findings of our preliminary experience using daily image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) supported by implanted fiducial markers (FMs) in the radiotherapy of the vaginal cuff, in a cohort of post-surgery endometrial cancer patients. Methods: Patients with vaginal cuff cancer requiring adjuvant radiation with external beams were enrolled. Five patients underwent radiation therapy targeting the pelvic disease and positive lymph nodes, with doses of 50.4 Gy in twenty-eight fractions and a subsequent stereotactic boost on the vaginal vault at a dose of 5 Gy in a single fraction. One patient was administered 30 Gy in five fractions to the vaginal vault. These patients underwent external beam RT following the implantation of three 0.40 × 10 mm gold fiducial markers (FMs). Our IGRT strategy involved real-time 2D kV image-based monitoring of the fiducial markers during the treatment delivery as a surrogate of the vaginal cuff. To explore the potential role of FMs throughout the treatment process, we analyzed cine movies of the 2D kV-triggered images during delivery, as well as the image registration between pre- and post-treatment CBCT scans and the planning CT (pCT). Each CBCT used to trigger fraction delivery was segmented to define the rectum, bladder, and vaginal cuff. We calculated a standard metric to assess the similarity among the images (Dice index). Results: All the patients completed radiotherapy and experienced good tolerance without any reported acute or long-term toxicity. We did not observe any loss of FMs during or before treatment. A total of twenty CBCTs were analyzed across ten fractions. The observed trend showed a relatively emptier bladder compared to the simulation phase, with the bladder filling during the delivery. This resulted in a final median Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 0.90, indicating strong performance. The rectum reproducibility revealed greater variability, negatively affecting the quality of the delivery. Only in two patients, FMs showed intrafractional shift > 5 mm, probably associated with considerable rectal volume changes. Target coverage was preserved due to a safe CTV-to-PTV margin (10 mm). Conclusions: In our preliminary study, CBCT in combination with the use of fiducial markers to guide the delivery proved to be a feasible method for IGRT both before and during the treatment of post-operative gynecological cancer. In particular, this approach seems to be promising in selected patients to facilitate the use of SBRT instead of BRT (brachytherapy), thanks to margin reduction and adaptive strategies to optimize dose delivery while minimizing toxicity. A larger sample of patients is needed to confirm our results. Full article

This study investigated the immunonutritional potential of high-molecular-weight (Mw~85 kDa), non-degraded chitosan (NCS) and gamma-radiation-degraded, low-molecular-weight chitosan (RCS) incorporated into aquafeeds for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). RCS was produced by γ-irradiation (10 kGy) in the presence of 0.25% (w/v) H₂O₂, yielding low-viscosity, colloidally stable nanoparticles with Mw ranging from 10 to 13 kDa. Five diets were formulated: a control, NCS at 0.50%, and RCS at 0.025%, 0.050%, and 0.075%. No adverse effects on growth were observed, confirming safety. Immune gene expression (e.g., ifng1, nfκb, tnf), antioxidant markers (e.g., reduced MDA, increased GSH and GR), and nonspecific humoral responses (lysozyme, IgM, and bactericidal activity) were significantly enhanced in the NCS-0.50, RCS-0.050, and RCS-0.075 groups. Notably, these benefits were achieved with RCS at 10-fold lower concentrations than NCS. Following challenge with Edwardsiella tarda, fish fed RCS-0.050 and RCS-0.075 diets exhibited the highest survival rates and relative percent survival, highlighting robust activation of innate and adaptive immunity alongside redox defense. These results support the use of low-Mw RCS as a biologically potent, cost-effective alternative to traditional high-Mw chitosan in functional aquafeeds. RCS-0.050 and RCS-0.075 show strong potential as immunonutritional agents to enhance fish health and disease resistance in aquaculture. Full article

Conventional detectors based on ionization chambers, semiconductors, or thermoluminescent materials generally cannot be used to verify the in vivo dose delivered during brachytherapy treatments with γ-ray sources. However, certain adaptations and alternative methods, such as the use of miniaturized detectors or other specialized techniques, have been explored to address this limitation. One approach to solving this problem involves the use of dosimetric materials based on efficient scintillation crystals, which can be placed in the patient’s body using a long optical fiber inserted intra-cavernously, either in front of or next to the tumor. Scintillation crystals with a density close to that of tissue can be used in any location, including the respiratory tract, as they do not interfere with dose distribution. However, in many cases of radiation therapy, the detector may need to be positioned behind the target. In such cases, the use of heavy, high-density, and high-Z_eff scintillators is strongly preferred. The delivered radiation dose was registered using the radioluminescence response of the crystal scintillator and recorded with a compact luminescence spectrometer connected to the scintillator via a long optical fiber (so-called fiber-optic dosimeter). This proposed measurement method is completely non-invasive, safe, and can be performed in real time. To complete the abovementioned task, scintillation detectors based on YAG:Ce (ρ = 4.5 g/cm³; Z_eff = 35), LuAG:Ce (ρ = 6.75 g/cm³; Z_eff = 63), and GAGG:Ce (ρ = 6.63 g/cm³; Z_eff = 54.4) garnet crystals, with different densities ρ and effective atomic numbers Z_eff, were used in this work. The results obtained are very promising. We observed a strong linear correlation between the dose and the scintillation signal recorded by the detector system based on these garnet crystals. The measurements were performed on a specially prepared phantom in the brachytherapy treatment room at the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz, where in situ measurements of the applied dose in the 0.5–8 Gy range were performed, generated by the ¹⁹²Ir (394 keV) γ-ray source from the standard Fexitron Elektra treatment system. Finally, we found that GAGG:Ce crystal detectors demonstrated the best figure-of-merit performance among all the garnet scintillators studied. Full article

Very-high-energy electrons, coupled with ultra-high dose rates, are being explored for their potential use in radiotherapy to treat deep-seated tumours. The dose per pulse needed to achieve ultra-high dose rates far exceeds the limit of current medical linear accelerator capabilities. A high dose per pulse has been observed as the limiting factor for many existing dosimeters, resulting in saturation at doses far below what is required. The MOSkin, an existing clinical quality assurance dosimeter, has previously been demonstrated as dose rate independent but has not been subjected to a high dose per pulse. Within this study, the MOSkins dose-per-pulse response was tested for linearity, with a dose per pulse as high as 23 Gy within 200 ns at the ANSTO Australian Synchrotron’s Pulsed Energetic Electrons for Research facility. While using EBT-XD film as a reference dosimeter, a dose rate dependence of the EBT-XD was discovered. Once confirmed and a correction factor established, EBT-XD was used as an independent reference measurement. This work presents confirmation of the MOSkin suitability for ultra-high dose-rate environments with an electron energy of 100 MeV, and a theoretical discussion of its dose-rate and dose-per-pulse independence; the MOSkin is the only detector suitable for both clinical quality assurance, and ultra-high dose-rate measurements in its standard, unmodified form. Full article

The exponential growth of plastic production in the healthcare sector and the limited capacity of conventional recycling systems have created a global environmental challenge. Latest 3D printing technologies have the potential to solve this problem by enabling on-demand, localized manufacturing. This study aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of 3D-printed ABS composites with Bi₂O₃ fillers after multiple recycling and irradiation cycles to assess their suitability for creating robust, reusable supporting devices for radiotherapy. Filaments of PLA, ABS, and ABS composites enriched with 5 wt% and 10 wt% Bi₂O₃ were extruded, repeatedly recycled through shredding and re-extrusion up to ten times and irradiated to 70 Gy using a 6 MeV photon beam to simulate clinical radiotherapy conditions. In contrast to PLA, ABS demonstrated better recyclability; however, after ten recycling cycles, its tensile strength declined from 25.1 MPa to 20.9 MPa, and its Young’s modulus decreased from 2503.5 MPa to 1410.4 MPa. Incorporation of 5 wt% Bi₂O₃ into ABS significantly improved recyclability and mechanical retention. After ten recycling rounds, an ABS composite containing 5 wt% Bi₂O₃ retained tensile strength of 22.2 MPa, modulus of 1553.9 MPa, and strain at break of 14.4%. In contrast, the composite enforced with 10 wt% Bi₂O₃ showed slightly lower performance, likely due to filler agglomeration. Under irradiation, the ABS–5 wt% Bi₂O₃ composite exhibited minimal additional degradation, maintaining mechanical integrity superior to other materials. These results indicate that ABS–5 wt% Bi₂O₃ is a promising, recyclable material for durable, patient-specific devices in radiotherapy, supporting sustainability in medical manufacturing. Full article

Purpose/Objective(s): Peritoneal carcinosis can occur in several gastrointestinal or gynecological malignancies and its prognosis is usually poor. With the advent of more effective systemic agents, the overall survival of metastatic patients has been revolutionized and isolated peritoneal or abdominal wall metastases might benefit from local treatments; Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) might be considered in selected patients with oligometastatic presentation. Materials/Methods: Oligometastases were defined according to recent ESTRO/EORTC consensus. Inclusion criteria were as follows: ECOG PS ≤ 2, written informed consent, up to five lesions to be treated at the same time, patients treated with radiotherapy schedules applying minimum 6 Gy per fraction. The primary endpoint of the study was local control (LC); acute and late toxicity, distant progression-free survival (DPFS), time-to-next systemic treatment (TNST), polymetastatic-free survival (PMFS) and overall survival (OS) were secondary endpoints. Toxicity was assessed according to CTCAE criteria v5.0. Statistical associations between clinical variables and outcomes were assessed using Fisher’s exact test, and Kruskal–Wallis test, as appropriate. Survival outcomes were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Results: Between April 2020 and September 2024 a total of 26 oligometastatic lesions located in the peritoneum or in the abdominal wall detected in 20 patients received SBRT with Helical Tomotherapy. All cases have been assessed by a multidisciplinary team. Only in three patients out of twenty did more than one lesion receive SBRT: two lesions in two patients, and five lesions in a single case of colorectal cancer with ongoing third-line systemic treatment. Median total dose was 30 Gy (27–35 Gy) in five fractions (3–5). The most frequent primary neoplasm was ovarian cancer in 14/20, endometrial in 2/20, while the remaining were colorectal, vaginal, pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer. Four lesions were located in the abdominal wall, while the remaining twenty-two were located in the peritoneum. Concurrent systemic therapy was administered in 18/20 patients. With a median follow-up of 15 months (range, 6–59), our 1-year LC was 100%, while 1-year DPFS, PMFS, TNTS and OS rates were 54%, 69%, 61% and 83%, respectively. Abdominal wall location and treatment of a subsequent oligometastatic recurrence with a second course of SBRT were both significantly associated with improved OS (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively). No G ≥ 3 adverse events occurred. Conclusion: Our preliminary data support the use of SBRT in selected cases of oligometastatic disease located in the peritoneum or in the abdominal wall with excellent results in terms of tolerability and promising clinical outcomes. Full article

This work presents the experimental results of a wavelet transform denoising algorithm (WTDA) that improves the ionoacoustic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and proton range measurement precision. Ionoacoustic detectors exploit the ultrasound signal generated by pulsed proton beams in energy absorbers (water or the human body) to localize the energy deposition with sub-millimeter precision, with interesting applications in beam monitoring during oncological hadron therapy treatments. By improving SNR and measurement precision, the WTDA allows significant reduction of the extra dose necessary for beam characterization. To validate the WTDA’s performance, two scenarios are presented. First, the WTDA was applied to the ionoacoustic signals from a 20 MeV proton beam, where it allowed for increasing the SNR by 17 dB and improving measurement precision by a factor of two. Then, the WTDA was applied to the simulated signals from a 200 MeV clinical beam where, compared to state-of-the-art algorithms, it achieved a −80% dose reduction when achieving the same 30 μm precision and a six-fold precision improvement for the same 17 Gy dose deposition. Full article

Background/Objectives: Non-ablative stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is commonly employed for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) using computed tomography-guided radiotherapy (CTgRT) without online adaptive radiation therapy (oART). The safe delivery of ablative SBRT has been demonstrated using stereotactic magnetic resonance-guided online adaptive radiation therapy (SMART). We performed an in silico comparison of non-adapted CTgRT versus SMART to better understand the potential benefit of oART for ablative pancreatic SBRT. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated original and daily adapted SMART plans that were previously delivered for 20 consecutive LAPC cases (120 total plans across all patients) treated on a 0.35 T MR-linac prescribed to 50 Gy (gross disease) and 33 Gy (elective sites) simultaneously in five fractions. Six comparative CTgRT plans for each patient (one original, five daily treatment) were retrospectively generated with the same prescribed dose and planning parameters as the SMART plans assuming no oART availability. The impact of daily anatomic changes on CTgRT and SMART plans without oART was evaluated across each treatment day MRI scan acquired for SMART. Results: Ninety percent of cases involved the pancreatic head. No statistically significant differences were seen between CTgRT and SMART with respect to target coverage. Nearly all (96%) fractions planned on either CT or MRI platforms exceeded at least one GI organ at risk (OAR) constraint without oART. Significant differences favoring SMART over non-adaptive CTgRT were observed for the duodenum V35 Gy ≤ 0.5 cc (34.2 vs. 41.9 Gy, p = 0.0035) and duodenum V40 Gy ≤ 0.03 cc (37 vs. 52.5 Gy, p = 0.0006) constraints. Stomach V40 Gy trended towards significance favoring SMART (37 vs. 40.3 Gy, p = 0.057) while no significant differences were seen. Conclusions: This is the first study that quantifies the frequency and extent of GI OAR constraint violations that would occur during ablative five-fraction SBRT using SMART vs. CTgRT. GI OAR constraint violations are expected for most fractions without oART whereas all constraints can be achieved with oART. As such, these data suggest that oART should be required for ablative five-fraction pancreatic SBRT. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adjuvant radiation for gynecologic malignancies often exposes organs at risk (OARs), such as the bone marrow, bowel, rectum, and bladder, to radiation, leading to toxicities that impact treatment tolerance and patient quality of life. Scanning proton beam therapy, particularly with Individual Field Simultaneous Optimization (IFSO), may offer dosimetric and biological advantages over volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). This study evaluates the clinical impact of IFSO-based proton planning in post-operative gynecologic cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Fourteen patients receiving adjuvant proton therapy to 45 Gy in 25 fractions were retrospectively analyzed. Comparison VMAT plans were generated on the same datasets. Dose–volume metrics for key OARs and normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCPs) were compared using paired statistical tests. Robustness evaluations accounted for setup and range uncertainties. Results: Proton plans significantly reduced dose to bone marrow (V10Gy: 58% vs. 86%, p < 0.00001; V20Gy: 47% vs. 58%, p < 0.00001), small bowel (V20Gy: 21% vs. 56%, p < 0.00001), and femoral heads (left femoral head mean: 11Gy vs. 13Gy, p = 0.032; right femoral head mean: 11Gy vs. 13Gy, p = 0.022). NTCP modeling predicted significantly lower rates of bowel urgency (9.4% vs. 3.3%, p < 0.001) and hematologic toxicity (10.2% vs. 4.9%, p < 0.001) with proton therapy. Plans remained robust across uncertainty scenarios. Conclusions: IFSO-based scanning proton therapy provides clinically meaningful sparing of bone marrow and bowel, with the potential to reduce hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities. These findings support its use in patients receiving adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy, particularly those undergoing extended field treatment or chemotherapy. Full article

Background: This work presents the procedures and application of the deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) technique for mediastinal lymphoma patients at a proton therapy (PT) center. It also discusses the implementation and validation of the surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT) protocol in terms of positioning accuracy. Methods: This study included six lymphoma patients. Dedicated computed tomography (CT) protocols and a treatment workflow based on international guidelines were developed. Clinical data from the treatment planning system (TPS) were used to assess the difference between DIBH and free-breathing irradiation. Additionally, data from an optical patient positioning system and kilovoltage (kV) imaging system were used to estimate positioning shifts. The new CT protocol reduced the volume CT dose index by over six times compared with the standard protocol. Results: The DIBH method decreased the mean dose to the heart and lungs by up to 7.02 Gy(RBE) and 0.83 Gy(RBE), respectively. The median magnitude of patient setup errors and repeatability in DIBH positioning was 0.4 cm and 0.18 cm (mean for males and females) for the SGRT protocol. The kV imaging showed a setup error of over 0.3 cm for both groups. Conclusions: Despite the small size of the patient cohort, the relatively large number of individual positioning sessions enabled the detection of statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in certain areas between male and female patients; however, no significant difference in the displacement vector magnitude was observed. DIBH treatment with SGRT offers high reproducibility for patient positioning. Full article

Current research on dosimeters based on radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) primarily focused on enhancing radiation sensitivity or reducing dependencies from interference factors. However, their intrinsic sensing performance has received limited attention. This work proposed application and analysis methods for RIA-based dosimeters, validated by a low-cost apparatus using commercial fibers. Initially, a generic protocol of high-dose detection after low-dose calibration was suggested to overcome the various dependencies of RIA, enabling repetitive monitoring of near-stable radiation by simple replacement of commercial fibers. Experiments comparing three dose-loss models demonstrated that the saturation-exponential model exhibited superior accuracy, achieving absolute errors below 4 Gy within a measurable range of up to ~300 Gy. Subsequently, the system’s RIA-based sensitivity was ~125.6 dB·Gy⁻¹·km⁻¹. The resolution and sensitivity expressed by optical power were newly defined, effectively quantifying the decline in precision and response ratio during detection. Moreover, an additional structure was introduced to extend the measurable range. Simulations and experiments under 1-MeV electron irradiation verified that adjustable ranges could be achieved through configuration of attenuation layers. In summary, these advancements provided critical guidance for component selection and operational evaluation, facilitating the commercialization and practical deployment of RIA-based dosimeters. Full article

Objectives: Although hippocampal-sparing whole-brain irradiation (HS-WBI) offers potential neurocognitive benefits, it poses challenges in treatment planning. This study aimed to compare the dose distributions of biaxially rotational dynamic radiation therapy (BROAD-RT) with a novel O-ring-type linear accelerator (OXRAY) and conventional non-coplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning (Conv-VMAT) in HS-WBI treatment plans. Methods: This study included 10 patients with brain metastases from lung cancer at our institution. The hippocampus was contoured using gadolinium-based contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and hippocampal-sparing regions were created using a 5 mm margin around the hippocampus. Two virtual plans (BROAD-RT and Conv-VMAT) with 30 Gy in 10 fractions were created to compare the dose distributions in the planning target volume (PTV), hippocampus, eyes, and lens. All plans were analyzed using a paired t-test. Results: The mean (standard deviation [SD]) hippocampus-Dmax, -Dmean, -D100%, and -V10 were 11.10 (0.61), 7.95 (0.20), 7.01 (0.19), and 0.42 (0.34) for BROAD-RT and 16.10 (0.57), 9.89 (0.75), 8.24 (0.34), and 39.05 (25.89) for Conv-VMAT, respectively. All hippocampal parameters were significantly better with BROAD-RT than with Conv-VMAT (p < 0.01). The PTV-D98, -D50, -D2, -V35, and -homogeneity index did not exhibit significant differences between BROAD-RT and Conv-VMAT. Although lens-Dmax was significantly better in BROAD-RT than in Conv-VMAT (p < 0.01), no significant differences were observed in the eye-Dmax and chiasm-Dmax between BROAD-RT and Conv-VMAT. The mean (SD) BROAD-RT beam delivery time was 313.60 (34.91) s. Conclusions: BROAD-RT improved hippocampal sparing with acceptable PTV coverage and PTV homogeneity in HS-WBI planning. In addition, BROAD-RT has a clinically acceptable treatment duration. Full article

Proton beam therapy for head and neck cancers traditionally employs a fixed relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 1.1, which may underestimate actual biological effects in critical structures. This study evaluates how Linear Energy Transfer (LET) optimization could potentially prevent radiation-induced brachial plexopathy (RIBP). (1) Case presentation: A 65-year-old male with stage IVA p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma received pencil-beam-scanning intensity-modulated proton therapy with concurrent cisplatin. Due to a right level 4 neck node, the high-risk target volume overlapped with the brachial plexus, resulting in a D0.1cc of 70.3 Gy (RBE = 1.1). Four years post-treatment, the patient developed progressive right upper extremity paresthesia, weakness, and dysesthesia. Electromyography revealed myokymia consistent with brachial plexopathy, while MRI showed hyperintensity of the right brachial plexus corresponding to the radiation field. Conservative treatment with pentoxifylline, gabapentin, and physical therapy improved his symptoms. (2) Methods: The original treatment plan was retrospectively analyzed using Monte Carlo dose algorithms and LET-dependent RBE models from McMahon and McNamara. An LET-optimized plan was created to limit LET_d to 2.0 keV/µm in the brachial plexus. (3) Results: The relative biological equivalent (RBE) dose to 0.1cc of the brachial plexus was 77.8 Gy (CGE RBE), exceeding tolerance. The LET-optimized plan reduced the brachial plexus D0.1cc to 59.4 Gy (RBE = 1.1) and 63.2 Gy (CGE RBE), an 18.8% decrease, while maintaining target coverage. LET_d, within the brachial plexus enhancement, decreased from 5.3 to 2.6 keV/μm. (4) Conclusion: This case highlights the potential clinical importance of LET optimization in proton therapy planning, particularly when organs-at-risk overlap with target volumes. By reducing LET_d from 5.3 to 2.6 keV/μm and biological equivalent dose by 18.8%, LET optimization could potentially prevent late toxicities, like RIBP, while maintaining target coverage. Full article

In response to the need for sustainable soil stabilization alternatives, this study explores the use of waste materials and biopolymers to improve the mechanical behavior of clay from Cartagena, Colombia. Crushed limestone waste (CLW), ground glass powder (GG), recycled gypsum (GY), xanthan gum (XG), and the combination of XG with polypropylene fibers (XG–PPF) were used as stabilizing agents. Samples were compacted at different dry densities and cured for 28 days. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests were conducted to assess the strength and stiffness of the treated mixtures. Results were normalized using the porosity/binder index ($\mathrm{\eta }/B_{iv}$), leading to predictive equations with high determination coefficients (R² = 0.94 for UCS and R² = 0.96 for stiffness). However, XG-treated mixtures exhibited distinct behavior that prevented their inclusion in a unified predictive model, as the fitted exponent x in the porosity/binder index ($\mathrm{\eta }/B_{iv}^x$) differed markedly from the others. While an exponent of 0.28 was suitable for blends with mineral binders, the optimal x values for XG and XG–PPF mixtures were significantly lower at 0.02 and 0.03, respectively, reflecting their unique gel-like and fiber-reinforced characteristics. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified cement content and compaction density as the most influential factors, while some interactions involving the residues were not statistically significant, despite aligning with experimental trends. The findings support the technical viability of using sustainable additives to enhance soil properties with reduced environmental impact. Full article