Soil bacteria that precipitate calcium carbonate: mechanism and applications of the process

Abstract

Bacteria with ureasic activity are microorganisms found in soil that in presence of urea and calcium, they can produce calcium carbonate, a process known as microbiologically induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP). This article discusses this process and its mechanism, as well as bacterial urease, calcium carbonate crystals formed, and factors that affect the efficiency of MICP, as type of bacteria, bacterial cell concentrations, pH, temperature and calcium and urea concentrations. In addition, applications as removal of heavy metals in water, bioconsolidation, biocement and CO 2 sequestration are also discussed.Keywords: Biomineralization; Bacillus; urease; carbonates; heavy metals; bioconsolidation; biocementation. ResumenLas bacterias con actividad ureásica son microorganismos que se encuentran en el suelo, y que en presencia de urea y calcio, pueden producir carbonato de calcio, proceso conocido como precipitación de calcio inducida microbiológicamente (PCIM). Este artículo trata este proceso y su mecanismo, además de las ureasas de origen bacteriano, los cristales de carbonato de calcio formado, los factores que afectan la eficiencia la PCIM, como el tipo de bacteria, las concentraciones de células bacterianas, el pH, la temperatura y las concentraciones de calcio y urea. Además, se incluye las aplicaciones como la remoción de metales pesados en aguas, la bioconsolidación, biocemento y secuestro de CO 2 .

Microbiologically Induced Carbonate Precipitation in the Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Materials

“…Reaction continues towards calcium carbonate precipitation by bonding Ca 2+ ions to the bacteria cell surface (Equation (6)). The high concentration of carbonate and calcium ions on the bacterial surface, which serves as nucleation sites, promotes calcium carbonate precipitation (Equations (7) and (8)) that could bind and consolidate deteriorated materials in historical structures (see Figure 2 ) [ 35 , 51 , 52 ]. …”

Effect of Divalent Cations (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and Sr) on Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation and Mineralogical Properties

“…Although many studies have reported the removal efficiency of metal ions via MICP, the emphasis was mainly on the role of microbial growth and urease activity in the removal of metal ions rather than carbonate mineral formation and mineralogical characteristics (Li et al, 2013;Agarwal and Singh, 2017;Bhattacharya et al, 2018). During MICP, carbonate crystals were formed various anhydrous calcium carbonate minerals such as calcite (β-CaCO 3 ), aragonite (λ-CaCO 3 ) and vaterite (µ-CaCO 3 ), as well as other crystalline hydrated phases such as monohydrocalcite (CaCO 3 •H 2 O) and hexahydrocalcite (CaCO 3 •6H 2 O), in addition to amorphous calcium carbonate (Costa et al, 2017;Chaparro-Acuña et al, 2018). The morphology and polymorphism of biogenic calcium carbonates suggest microbial strain-specific mineralization associated with various biomacromolecular templates (Rodriguez-Navarro et al, 2012;Cao et al, 2016;Kim and Roh, 2019).…”

Whey as an Alternative Nutrient Medium for Growth of Sporosarcina pasteurii and Its Effect on CaCO3 Polymorphism and Fly Ash Bioconsolidation

“…It is well known in microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) that the crystal phase depends on different parameters such as bacteria strain, urease activity, calcium sources, and media [ 55 , 56 , 57 ]. In this work, we established that varying the concentration of whey on nutrient broth could modify the vaterite: calcite ratio by using, a higher amount of whey in the medium, which influences calcium carbonate purity (obtained by TGA results).…”

“…From an environmental point of view, this process could be an interesting alternative that will provide sustainability to construction processes. Bioconsolidation with S. pasteurii isolated from agricultural soils in Colombia could be an inexpensive alternative to treating these It is well known in microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) that the crystal phase depends on different parameters such as bacteria strain, urease activity, calcium sources, and media [55][56][57]. In this work, we established that varying the concentration of whey on nutrient broth could modify the vaterite: calcite ratio by using, a higher amount of whey in the medium, which influences calcium carbonate purity (obtained by TGA results).…”