Insights into the Current Trends in the Utilization of Bacteria for Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation

Abstract

Nowadays, microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has received great attention for its potential in construction and geotechnical applications. This technique has been used in biocementation of sand, consolidation of soil, production of self-healing concrete or mortar, and removal of heavy metal ions from water. The products of MICP often have enhanced strength, durability, and self-healing ability. Utilization of the MICP technique can also increase sustainability, especially in the construction industry where a huge portion of the materials used is not sustainable. The presence of bacteria is essential for MICP to occur. Bacteria promote the conversion of suitable compounds into carbonate ions, change the microenvironment to favor precipitation of calcium carbonate, and act as precipitation sites for calcium carbonate crystals. Many bacteria have been discovered and tested for MICP potential. This paper reviews the bacteria used for MICP in some of the most recent studies. Bacteria that can cause MICP include ureolytic bacteria, non-ureolytic bacteria, cyanobacteria, nitrate reducing bacteria, and sulfate reducing bacteria. The most studied bacterium for MICP over the years is Sporosarcina pasteurii. Other bacteria from Bacillus species are also frequently investigated. Several factors that affect MICP performance are bacterial strain, bacterial concentration, nutrient concentration, calcium source concentration, addition of other substances, and methods to distribute bacteria. Several suggestions for future studies such as CO2 sequestration through MICP, cost reduction by using plant or animal wastes as media, and genetic modification of bacteria to enhance MICP have been put forward.

Cellulose Derived Graphene/Polyaniline Nanocomposite Anode for Energy Generation and Bioremediation of Toxic Metals via Benthic Microbial Fuel Cells

“…extensively in their study and found that they are exoelectrogens species with generation of 0.015±0.001 to 0.049±0.025 W m 2 power density. According to previous studies, the found species (Table 4) can also generate energy as well as remediate the heavy metals effectively [64][65][66][67][68][69]. According to Nimje et al [60] Bacillus strains can produce energy, and they recorded a 0.000105 mW/m 2 power density, which is lower than the recorded results of this study.…”

“…extensively in their study and found that they are exoelectrogens species with generation of 0.015 ± 0.001 to 0.049 ± 0.025 W m 2 power density. According to previous studies, the found species (Table 4) can also generate energy as well as remediate the heavy metals effectively [64][65][66][67][68][69].…”

Bioconservation of Historic Stone Buildings—An Updated Review

“…Chuo [55] suggested that the most studied bacterium for MICP over the years was Sporosarcina pasteurii. Omoregie et al [56] found that this genus was the most abundant biocalcifying organism isolated from limestone cave samples, but many other species have been isolated, both by these authors and others (for example, [57]); since microorganisms with this ability are common, it is clear that there is a wide range of species available from which to choose the most appropriate for the particular stone and environment.…”

Characterization of a Novel CaCO3-Forming Alkali-Tolerant Rhodococcus erythreus S26 as a Filling Agent for Repairing Concrete Cracks

“…Recent studies on BICP cover a variety of fields with important implications for geobiotechnology, civil engineering, and the environment, such as biocement, concrete reinforcement, soil stabilization, carbon dioxide sequestration, wastewater treatment, heavy metal bioremediation, and oil recovery [ 2 , 3 ]. The most promising among them is the use of BICP to repair damaged concrete structures and historically important stone cultural heritages [ 4 ].…”