Biodeterioration and bioprotection of concrete assets in the coastal environment

Biodeterioration and Chemical Corrosion of Concrete in the Marine Environment: Too Complex for Prediction

“…The seawater environment is one of the most aggressive for concrete, because of its chloride, sulfate, and magnesium levels [12]. The aggressive nature of seawater is increased by biofouling and the growth of marine microorganisms and macroorganisms on the surface and within the concrete [13,14]. There is extensive literature on biofouling of concrete structures in the marine environment [15][16][17][18][19] and macrofouling (growth of higher organisms such as bivalves, algae, and seagrasses) will not be covered in the current article; they are outside the remit of this special issue.…”

Surface Integrity Could Limit the Potential of Concrete as a Bio-Enhanced Material in the Marine Environment

“…This detachment could be promoted by environmental and biological phenomena, such as storms and grazers activity (e.g., Alves et al, 2001;García-Romero et al, 2023;Chebaane et al, 2023), and would explain the higher abundance of CCA on basalt, including Peyssonnelia sp., and the higher abundance of filamentous algae on concrete. Moreover, calcareous bio-concretions can also provide positive bio-protection effects, which may additionally protect the underlying substrate from deterioration (Coombes et al, 2017;Bone et al, 2022b;Lv et al, 2022). The effects of this increased weathering were observed during sampling events in some locations, where the cementitious surface of the concrete blocks had been washed away, leaving the basalt aggregates exposed (e. g., Fig.…”