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Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a promising technique for bio-cementation, soil improvement, and heavy metal remediation. This study explores the potential of Bhargavaea beijingensis, a urease-producing bacterium, for these applications. Six ureolytic bacteria were isolated from calcareous bricks mine soil and screened for urease and calcite production. B. beijingensis exhibited the highest urease activity and calcite precipitation. Urease activity, calcite precipitation, sand solidification, heavy metal removal efficiency, and compressive strength were evaluated. It showed significant heavy metal removal efficiency, particularly highest for HgCl2. Mortar blocks treated with B. beijingensis or its crude enzyme exhibited improved compressive strength, suggesting its potential for bio-cementation. Crack remediation tests demonstrated successful crack healing in mortar blocks using the bacterium or its enzyme. This study identifies B. beijingensis as a novel and promising MICP agent with potential applications in bio-cementation, soil improvement, and heavy metal remediation. Hence, B. beijingensis diversified abilities prove superior performance compared to commonly used strains like Bacillus subtilis and Shewanella putrefaciens in bio-cementation applications. Its high urease activity, calcite precipitation, and heavy metal removal abilities make it a valuable candidate for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral sand with microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a promising material for practical engineering. This study attempts to improve the precipitation efficiency by using a modified bio-cement method based on MICP and sodium alginate (SA). It was found that adding an appropriate amount of SA in the bacterial solution could greatly improve the ability of immobilising bacteria, thus achieving an effective precipitation of calcium carbonate on the aggregate surfaces. As the SA content increased, the weight increment and unconfined compressive strength of each sample after MICP cementation initially increased and then decreased. Three main failure modes were observed, i.e., the particle unbroken failure, stepped failure, and steep drop failure. Owing to the macro pores of coral sand, the specific loss of calcium carbonate crystals produced by MICP had a significant effect on the cementation performance, while prolonging the single soaking time could favourably reduce the crystal loss. The calcium carbonate crystals occupied part of the pores between sand aggregates, but did not change the compression strength of a single aggregate significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the undrained cyclic behaviour of biotreated sands using microbial and enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation was investigated for a wide range of initial void ratio after consolidation ( e 0 ), initial effective normal stress ( σ N 0 ′ ) and calcium carbonate content (CC) under direct simple shear (DSS) testing conditions. The critical state soil mechanics framework for untreated sand was first established using a series of drained and undrained (constant volume) tests, which served as a benchmark for evaluating the undrained cyclic liquefaction behaviour of untreated and biotreated sands. The results indicated that the modified initial state parameter ( ψ m 0 ) in DSS condition showed a good correlation with instability states and phase transformation under monotonic shearing. In undrained cyclic DSS loading condition, samples displayed cyclic mobility indicated by an abrupt accumulation of large strain or σ N 0 ′ transiently reaching zero or a sudden build-up of excess pore water pressure. The linkage between static and cyclic liquefaction was established for untreated and biotreated sand specimens based on the equivalence of characteristic soil states. The number of cycles before liquefaction (NL) for the biotreated sand specimens was mainly controlled by the cyclic stress ratio, e 0 , σ N 0 ′ and CC. For a similar initial state prior to undrained cyclic loading, the biotreated specimens required a larger NL compared to the untreated sand. The cyclic resistance ratio at NL = 15 (CRR15) increased with decreasing ψ m 0 for the untreated sand, while the CRR15 for biotreated sand increased with increasing CC and decreasing σ N 0 ′ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-cement is a green and energy-saving building material that has attracted much attention in the field of ecological environment and geotechnical engineering in recent years. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of bio-cement (enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation—EICP) in combination with admixtures for the improvement of desert sands, which can effectively improve the mechanical properties of desert sands and is particularly suitable for sand-rich countries. In addition, the suitability of tap water in bio-cement was elucidated and the optimum ratio of each influencing factor when tap water is used as a solvent was derived. The results showed that peak values of unconfined compressive strength (maximum increase of about 130 times), shear strength (increase of 27.09%), calcium carbonate precipitation value (increase of about 4.39 times), and permeability (decrease of about 93.72 times) were obtained in the specimens modified by EICP combined with admixture as compared to the specimens modified by EICP only. The incorporation of skimmed milk powder, though significantly increasing the strength, is not conducive to cost control. The microscopic tests show that the incorporation of admixtures can provide nucleation sites for EICP, thus improving the properties of desert sand. This work can provide new research ideas for cross-fertilization between the disciplines of bio-engineering, ecology, and civil engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been extensively studied as a promising technique for soil stabilization. However, the heterogeneity in bio-cementation always hampers the application of MICP. Seawater contains more magnesium ions (Mg2+) than calcium ions (Ca2+) and using magnesium for bio-cementation might be more cost-effective in coastal cities. In this study, the microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation (MIMCP) treatment was proposed to solve the problem of heterogeneity, where the urea-magnesium-calcium solution was used as the cementation solution with various Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios. The influences of Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios on pH, bio-flocculation, and chemical conversion efficiency were studied. The sand bio-cementation tests were subsequently conducted to compare the treatment effects with different Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios. Results showed that the increase in Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios resulted in lower pH levels and smaller percentages of bio-flocculation. The higher Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio also provided a longer lag period, regardless of biomass concentrations; however, the chemical conversion efficiency decreased. Furthermore, the increased Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios resulted in a small difference in UCS and contents of precipitation at different parts of bio-cemented soils, achieving better homogeneity in bio-cementation. However, the strength significantly decreased at an Mg2+ concentration over 0.8 M due to much smaller contents of precipitation. In addition, with increased Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios, more aragonite in calcium precipitation was produced. The proposed MIMCP method in this study was significant to improve the homogeneity of bio-cemented soil in practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a promising technique for bio-cementation, soil improvement, and heavy metal remediation. This study explores the potential of Bhargavaea beijingensis, a urease-producing bacterium, for these applications. Six ureolytic bacteria were isolated from calcareous bricks mine soil and screened for urease and calcite production. B. beijingensis exhibited the highest urease activity and calcite precipitation. Urease activity, calcite precipitation, sand solidification, heavy metal removal efficiency, and compressive strength were evaluated. It showed significant heavy metal removal efficiency, particularly highest for HgCl2. Mortar blocks treated with B. beijingensis or its crude enzyme exhibited improved compressive strength, suggesting its potential for bio-cementation. Crack remediation tests demonstrated successful crack healing in mortar blocks using the bacterium or its enzyme. This study identifies B. beijingensis as a novel and promising MICP agent with potential applications in bio-cementation, soil improvement, and heavy metal remediation. Hence, B. beijingensis diversified abilities prove superior performance compared to commonly used strains like Bacillus subtilis and Shewanella putrefaciens in bio-cementation applications. Its high urease activity, calcite precipitation, and heavy metal removal abilities make it a valuable candidate for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions in various fields.

In most coastal and estuarine areas, tides easily cause surface erosion and even slope failure, resulting in severe land losses, deterioration of coastal infrastructure, and increased floods. The bio-cementation technique has been previously demonstrated to effectively improve the erosion resistance of slopes. Seawater contains magnesium ions (Mg2+) with a higher concentration than calcium ions (Ca2+); therefore, Mg2+ and Ca2+ were used together for bio-cementation in this study at various Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios as the microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation (MIMCP) treatment. Slope angles, surface strengths, precipitation contents, major phases, and microscopic characteristics of precipitation were used to evaluate the treatment effects. Results showed that the MIMCP treatment markedly enhanced the erosion resistance of slopes. Decreased Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios resulted in a smaller change in angles and fewer soil losses, especially the Mg2+ concentration below 0.2 M. The decreased Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio achieved increased precipitation contents, which contributed to better erosion resistance and higher surface strengths. Additionally, the production of aragonite would benefit from elevated Mg2+ concentrations and a higher Ca2+ concentration led to more nesquehonite in magnesium precipitation crystals. The slopes with an initial angle of 53° had worse erosion resistance than the slopes with an initial angle of 35°, but the Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios of 0.2:0.8, 0.1:0.9, and 0:1.0 were effective for both slope stabilization and erosion mitigation to a great extent. The results are of great significance for the application of MIMCP to improve erosion resistance of foreshore slopes and the MIMCP technique has promising application potential in marine engineering.

Abstract The main challenge in the large-scale application of MICP lies in its low efficiency and promoting biofilm growth can effectively address this problem. In the present study, a prediction model was proposed using the response surface method. With the prediction model, optimum concentrations of nutrients in the medium can be obtained. Moreover, the optimized medium was compared with other media via bio-cementation tests. The results show that this prediction model was accurate and effective, and the predicted results were close to the measured results. By using the prediction model, the optimized culture media was determined (20.0 g/l yeast extract, 10.0 g/l polypeptone, 5.0 g/l ammonium sulfate, and 10.0 g/l NaCl). Furthermore, the optimized medium significantly promoted the growth of biofilm compared to other media. In the medium, the effect of polypeptone on biofilm growth was smaller than the effect of yeast extract and increasing the concentration of polypeptone was not beneficial in promoting biofilm growth. In addition, the sand column solidified with the optimized medium had the highest strength and the largest calcium carbonate contents. The prediction model represents a platform technology that leverages culture medium to impart novel sensing, adjustive, and responsive multifunctionality to structural materials in the civil engineering and material engineering fields.

The scarcity of competent soils in the desired locations has forced geotechnical engineers to look for soil stabilization that is sustainable and environment-friendly. In this regard, bio-cementation technology has received a lot of interest in this area because of its benefits over traditional soil stabilization techniques. The present study aims to examine the influence of the bio-cementation technique with and without Rice Husk Ash (RHA) on the permeability property of silty sand. Biocemented soil samples were prepared with various combinations of the bacterial solution (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 optical density (OD)) and cementation solution (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 molarity) at 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28 curing days. The RHA, an agricultural waste with good pozzolanic qualities, was added to the control soil and the biocemented soil samples at 5, 10, and 15% by weight. A falling head permeability test was employed in this study. The test results showed that the permeability of the soil decreased when the bio-cementation technique, with or without RHA, was applied. The permeability of the soil decreased with increasing BS and CS concentrations in all curing days. A greater decrease in the permeability value was seen when the RHA additive was added to the bio-cemented soil. The results of the micro-analysis tests were also in support of this reduction. Overall, the addition of RHA up to 10% with 1.0 OD BS and 1.0M CS at a 14-day curing period was noted to optimally reduce the permeability property of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a green bio-inspired soil solidification technique that depends on the ability of urease-producing bacteria to form calcium carbonate that bonds soil grains and, consequently, improves soil mechanical properties. Meanwhile, different treatment methods have been adopted to tackle the key challenges in achieving effective MICP treatment. This paper proposes the combined method as a new MICP treatment approach, aiming to develop the efficiency of MICP treatment methods and simulate naturally cemented soil. This method combines the premixing, percolation, and submerging MICP methods. The strength outcomes of Portland-cemented and MICP-cemented sand using the percolation and combined methods were compared. For Portland-cemented sand, the UCS values varied from 0.6 MPa to 17.2 MPa, corresponding to cementation levels ranging from 5% to 30%. For MICP-cemented sand, the percolation method yielded UCS values ranging from 0.5 to 0.9 MPa, while the combined method achieved 3.7 MPa. The strength obtained by the combined method is around 3.7 times higher than that of the percolation method. The stiffness of bio-cemented samples varied between 20 and 470 MPa, while for Portland-cemented sand, it ranged from 130 to 1200 MPa. In terms of calcium carbonate distribution, the percolation method exhibited higher concentration at the top of the sample, while the combined method exhibited more precipitation at the top and perimeter, with less concentration in the central bottom region, equivalent to 10% of a half section’s area.

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) and enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) are two bio-cementation techniques, which are relatively new methods of ground improvement. While both techniques share some similarities, they can exhibit different overall behaviours due to the differences in urease enzyme sources and treatment methods. This paper presented 40 unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests of MICP and EICP treated sand specimens with similar average calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content subjected to cycles of wetting-drying (WD), freezing-thawing (FT) and elevated temperature (fire resistance test – FR and thermogravimetric analysis – TG). The average CaCO3 content after a certain number of WD or FT cycles (ACn) and their corresponding UCS (qn) reduced while the mass loss increased. The EICP treated sand specimens appeared to exhibit a lower resistance to WD and FT cycles than MICP treated specimens possibly due to the presence of unbonded or loosely bonded CaCO3 within the soil matrix, which was subsequently removed during the wetting (during WD) or thawing (during FT) process. FR test and TG analysis showed a significant loss of mass and reduction in CaCO3 content with increased temperatures, possibly due to the thermal decomposition of CaCO3. A complete deterioration of the MICP and EICP treated sand specimens was observed for temperatures above 600 °C. The observed behaviours are complex and theoretical understanding is far behind to develop a constitutive model to predict qn. Therefore, a multi-objective evolutionary genetic algorithm (GA) that deals with pseudo-polynomial structures, known as evolutionary polynomial regression (EPR), was used to seek three choices from millions of polynomial models. The best EPR model produced an excellent prediction of qn with a minimum sum of squares error (SSE) of 2.392, mean squared error (MSE) of 0.075, root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.273 and a maximum coefficient of determination of 0.939.

Introduction: Bio-cementation processes [namely, microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) and enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP)] have recently become promising techniques for solidifying loose sands. However, these methods release gaseous ammonia to the atmosphere, which is not desirable for real-scale applications. This study aims to propose an enzyme induced calcium phosphate precipitation (EICPP) method as a sustainable direction for the solidification of sand.Methods: Precipitation of calcium phosphate compound (CPC) was driven through pH-dependent mechanism regulated by enzymatic hydrolysis of urea. The baseline study was designed to consist of a series of precipitation tests and sand column tests, evaluating the influence of various recipes of cementation media (CM) on treatment efficiency. The evaluation program consisted of Unconfined compression tests, precipitation content measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction.Results: The observations showed that the content of urea had an important role in proposed EICPP treatment, which determined the extent of the pH increase. This increase had a great influence on 1) utilization of soluble calcium, 2) precipitation content of calcium phosphate, and 3) the morphology of the precipitates. Results of sand column test suggested that injecting CM that consisted of acid-dissolved bone meal, urea and urease enzyme could result in the deposition of insoluble CPC that enabled the solidification of sand particles.Discussion: The precipitation quantity was found to increase with the increase in urea content; however, the treatment media with high urea content resulted amorphous-like crystals. The plate-like crystals were evidenced in CM with [Ca]/[urea] molar ratio between 1.5–2.0. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that irrespective of the urea contents, the formed crystals were identified as brushite. Since the final pH of proposed EICPP method could be controllable within acidic-neutral conditions, the emission of ammonia gas would be eliminated.

With the development of bioinspired green solutions for sustainable construction over the past two decades, bio-cementation, which exploits the naturally occurring phenomenon of calcium carbonate precipitation in different environments, has drawn a lot of attention in both building construction and soil stabilization. Various types of microorganisms, along with specific enzymes derived from these microorganisms, have been utilized to harness the benefits of bio-cementation. Different application methods for incorporating this mechanism into the production process of the construction material, as well as a variety of experimental techniques for characterizing the outcomes of bio-cementation, have been developed and tested. Despite the fact that the success of bio-cementation as a sustainable method for construction has been demonstrated in a significant body of scientific literature at the laboratory scale, the expansion of this strategy to construction sites and field application remains a pending subject. The issue may be attributed to two primary challenges. Firstly, the complexity of the bio-cementation phenomenon is influenced by a variety of factors. Secondly, the extensive body of scientific literature examines various types of microorganisms under different conditions, leading to a wide range of outcomes. Hence, this study aims to examine the recent advancements in utilizing the most commonly employed microorganism, Sporosarcina pasteurii, to emphasize the significance of influential factors identified in the literature, discuss the findings that have been brought to light, and outline future research directions toward scaling up the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater based bio-cementation through microbially-induced carbonate precipitation was proposed for the calcareous sand improvement in marine environment. The method used seawater instead of traditional fresh water to culture urease producing-bacteria (UPB) and prepare cementation solution (CS) for the bio-cement. A series of comparative bio-treatment tests using seawater based bio-cementation and traditional bio-cementation methods on three types of soil were conducted. Experimental results indicate that seawater based bio-cementation method has the ability to improve soil physico-mechanical properties, and performed better than traditional bio-cementation method. The dominant reason can be explained as that the mixture of the productions of calcite, monohydrocalcite and calcite magnesium produced during seawater based bio-cementation process have better cementation ability than the mixture of the productions of calcite and vaterite produced during bio-cementation process. UCS of coarse Ottawa sand blocks are smaller than that of medium Ottawa sand blocks is because the specific surface area of fine sand is higher and larger number of effective bondings can be formed. UCS of calcareous sand blocks are smaller than those of coarse Ottawa sand blocks can be attributed to the fact that calcareous sand has higher porosity and rougher surface, resulting in more carbonate crystals being precipitated on un-connected locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a green bio-inspired soil solidification technique that depends on the ability of urease-producing bacteria to form calcium carbonate that bonds soil grains and, consequently, improves soil mechanical properties. Meanwhile, different treatment methods have been adopted to tackle the key challenges in achieving effective MICP treatment. This paper proposes the combined method as a new MICP treatment approach, aiming to develop the efficiency of MICP treatment methods and simulate naturally cemented soil. This method combines the premixing, percolation, and submerging MICP methods. The strength outcomes of Portland-cemented and MICP-cemented sand using the percolation and combined methods were compared. For Portland-cemented sand, the UCS values varied from 0.6 MPa to 17.2 MPa, corresponding to cementation levels ranging from 5% to 30%. For MICP-cemented sand, the percolation method yielded UCS values ranging from 0.5 to 0.9 MPa, while the combined method achieved 3.7 MPa. The strength obtained by the combined method is around 3.7 times higher than that of the percolation method. The stiffness of bio-cemented samples varied between 20 and 470 MPa, while for Portland-cemented sand, it ranged from 130 to 1200 MPa. In terms of calcium carbonate distribution, the percolation method exhibited higher concentration at the top of the sample, while the combined method exhibited more precipitation at the top and perimeter, with less concentration in the central bottom region, equivalent to 10% of a half section's area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcareous sand is widely present in coastal areas around the world and is usually considered as a weak and unstable material due to its high compressibility and low strength. Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a promising technique for soil improvement. However, the commonly adopted bio-augmented MICP approach is in general less compatible with the natural soil environment. Thus, this study focuses on the bio-stimulated MICP approach, which is likely to enhance the dominance of ureolytic bacteria for longer period and thus is deemed more efficient. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the compressibility of calcareous sand treated by bio-stimulated MICP approach. In the current study, a series of one-dimension compression tests was conducted on bio-cemented sand prepared via bio-stimulation with different initial relative densities (Dr). Based on the obtained compression curves and particle size distribution (PSD) curves, the parameters including cementation content, the coefficient of compressibility (av), PSD, relative breakage (Br), and relative agglomeration (Ar) were discussed. The results showed that av decreased with the increasing cementation content. The bio-cemented sand prepared with higher initial Dr had smaller (approximately 20%–70%) av values than that with lower initial Dr. The specimen with higher initial Dr and higher cementation content resulted in smaller Br but larger Ar. Finally, a conceptual framework featuring multiple contact and damage modes was proposed.

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The cost of urease enzyme production and complex extraction procedure are widely considered as a major barrier for the use of bio-cementation via enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) in practical engineering applications. In this paper, crude urease was extracted from soybean using a series of extraction procedures, including coarse filtration, centrifuge, and micro-filtration. Together with the commercially available pure urease, extracts of crude urease after each extraction step were collected and evaluated for their efficiency in chemical conversion efficiency and strength enhancement of the EICP process. The results indicated that the impurities of coarse-filtrated urease could protect urease enzyme, promote precipitation yield, maintain enzyme activity and stability, and improve strength enhancement. The microstructure images of the coarse-filtered enzyme-treated samples showed the transformation of crystal morphology from metastable spherical shape to rhombohedral- and polyhedral shape, resulting in effective bonding between the sand grains. A preliminary estimation of the energy requirement for the urease extraction exhibited that about 0.6 kJ of energy could be saved per 1000 U activity produced using only coarse filtration without further labor and equipment intensive centrifugation, which represents a sustainable and cost-effective approach to utilize EICP technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safe storage of mine tailings has challenged engineers as shown by numerous historical tailings dam failures. While the storing of tailings behind tailings dams is the most practical containment solution, poor mechanical characteristics (low strength and high compressibility) of these waste materials raises serious concerns regarding the stability of tailings dams. In this study, the microbially-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) technique is used to treat gold tailings. Accordingly, tailings were enriched with Sporosarcina pasteurii and flushed with different concentrations of cementation solution to find the CaCl2 amount that produces the highest shear strength in studied tailings. Their shear strength and compressibility were measured in direct shear and one-dimensional oedometer tests and compared with those of the untreated tailings. Results showed that the 50 mM CaCl2 cementation solution proved the most effective treatment solution with respect to MICP, reducing compressibility of tailings by about 300% when loaded up to 800 kPa and improving shear strength by 140%. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of treated samples further illustrated the effects of MICP on the composition and structure of the tailings specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of sustainable development imposes an obligation on societies to manage natural resources rationally and to care for the quality of the environment, by, among other things, reducing CO2 emissions. Alternative ways of stabilising building substrates by increasing their shear strength (cu) are increasingly being sought. This paper presents how microorganisms can influence cu and thus the load-bearing capacity of building substrates. Tests were performed in a triaxial compression apparatus in three variants. The first variant of testing was carried out on cemented soil samples, which were cemented in situ. The next two series of tests were performed on reconstructed samples, i.e., natural soil and soil inoculated with a solution of Sporosarcina pasteurii bacteria. The results obtained show that carbonate cementation increases the shear strength of the soil; in addition, this biomineralization-induced cementation gives higher cu results than natural carbonate cementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a bio-inspired calcite precipitation method, bio-grouting via enzymatic-induced calcite precipitation (EICP) uses free urease enzyme to catalyze the urea hydrolysis reaction. This soil stabilization approach is relatively new and insufficiently investigated, especially for applications involving surface layer stabilization of sandy soil deposits for increasing hydraulic erosion resistance. This paper presents a laboratory investigation on the surface erosion resistance improvements for compacted medium-gradation quartz sand specimens mediated using 10 different EICP treatment protocols. They involved single- and two-cycle injections of the urease enzyme (activity of 2400 U/L) and 0.5, 0.75, or 1.0-M urea–CaCl2 cementation solution reagents. The urease enzyme was extracted from watermelon seeds. Erosion rates were determined for various hydraulic shear stresses applied using the erosion function apparatus. The spatial distribution and morphology of precipitated calcite within the pore-void spaces of the crustal sand layer were investigated with a scanning electron microscope. Compared to untreated sand, all 10 investigated EICP treatment protocols produced substantially improved erosion resistance, especially for the higher cementation solution concentration (1.0 M). Of these 10 EICP protocols, a single cycle of enzyme–1.0-M-cementation solutions injections was identified as the more pragmatic option for achieving near-optimum erosion resistance improvements. Highest and lowest amounts (18.8 and 5.0 wt%) of precipitated calcite corresponded to the best and worst performing EICP-treated specimens, although the calcite's spatial distribution in treated specimens is another important factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid population growth and wave of immigration to cities are growing needs to expand construction in cities. So, reinforcement of bed soil has a high importance in urban structures. The soil must be stabilized for various applications such as: decrease in erodibility, increase in loading capacity and increase in compressive strength. At the ground level, soil can be stabilized by ecological and compaction methods but in depth, improvement should be done by infusion. Injection of chemical substances is costly, destructive and it causes the destruction of the hydrological ecosystem of the improved area, in addition to, ground water may be deviated from their path. Biological cementation is a modern and environmentally-friendly method to remedy the soil that it has been developed through the linkage of civil, geochemical and microbiological fields. This method of improvement is based on Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation sedimentation, so sedimentary bacteria is used. To date, many studies have been conducted in which less attention has been paid to the effect of descending injection on the formation of calcite crystals in the biological cementation of sandy soils. Therefore, in the present study, a type of bacterium containing spore called Bacillus pasteurii was used to help the effect of molarity as well as The type of injection (constant and descending) on soil strength and permeability should be investigated. For this purpose, biologically cemented specimens by this method were tested in tri-axial consolidated undrained test, fixed load permeability and scanning electron microscope to investigate this case using the results to be proceeded. The results show that as the concentration increases, more calcite is formed in the soil, therefore the cemented sample with a constant concentration of molar had the best performance and compared to untreated sand, % an increase of resistance and % a decrease of permeability was observed.

In recent years, oil spills and leakages have often occurred during oil exploration, transportation, handling, usage, and processing, causing serious global environmental problems. Microbially-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an emerging green, environmentally friendly, and sustainable technology that has proven to be a promising alternative for soil stabilisation. This paper provides a comparison between the mechanical performance of oil-polluted sand treated with biocement and traditional Portland cement. A series of laboratory tests, including permeability, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and triaxial consolidated undrained (CU) tests, was conducted. Even though oil contamination deteriorates the bonding strength of treated soil for both biocement and Portland cement soils, the biocement-treated oil-contaminated sand was found to achieve higher strength (up to four times) than cement-treated soil in the presence of similar content of cementing agent. After eight treatment cycles, the UCS value of oil-contaminated sand treated with biocement reached 1 MPa, demonstrating a high potential for oil-contaminated soil stabilisation in regions of oil spills and leakages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbially induced carbonate precipitates (MICPs) through ureolysis-driven calcite precipitation have been investigated as a mean of improving the mechanical properties of soil (cohesion, friction, stiffness, and permeability). To achieve a well-controlled and uniform MICP, it is crucial to obtain a homogeneous distribution of bacterial activity. This paper describes a new and simple method to maximize the retention of bacteria in porous silica sand, where the retained bacteria with their activity are distributed homogeneously. This method is based on a novel in situ biomass flocculation technique induced by the presence of a trace amount of Ca2+ and increased alkalinity of the environment due to the hydrolysis of urea. The method has been tested in both 300 mm and 1000 mm sand columns, in which the retained urease activity, content of the produced CaCO3, and final unconfined compressive strength were homogeneously distributed throughout the entire treated columns. The presented bacterial fixation method could also be potentially used to deliver and fix specific bacteria in a target zone. Overall, this method of improving bacterial fixation in porous media can be used for bio-cementation ground improvement, ensuring the uniform performance of treated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A technique to produce bio-cementation in sandy soil using the microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) process and calcium ions generated from eggshell is presented in this research. This research also focused on the application of S. pasteurii bacteria and L. fusiformis bacteria along with eggshell and calcium chloride cementing chemicals on the strength properties of sand. The experimental variables maintained in this research are bacteria type (S. pasteurii and L. fusiformis), cementing chemical type (eggshell and calcium chloride) and molarity of the cementing chemical (0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0). The engineering behaviour of bacteria treated sand was estimated by executing the unconfined compression test and permeability test in the laboratory. From the experimental findings, it is identified that the unconfined compressive strength of sand is enhanced and the value is in the range of 650 kPa. In addition to that, the permeability of sand is minimized in the order of two from 6.3 × E−3 to 3.2 × E−5 cm/s. The best improvement of Young's modulus and calcium carbonate content estimated in this research are 28.9 MPa and 17.9% when the sand is treated with S. pasteurii along 0.50 molarity of eggshell cementing chemical. The experimental findings are validated with the help of microstructural studies of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). This research showed that bio-cementation technology in the form of S. pasteurii and eggshell can be effectively adopted to enhance the engineering characteristics of sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of sustainable development imposes an obligation on societies to manage natural resources rationally and to care for the quality of the environment, by, among other things, reducing CO2 emissions. Alternative ways of stabilising building substrates by increasing their shear strength (cu) are increasingly being sought. This paper presents how microorganisms can influence cu and thus the load-bearing capacity of building substrates. Tests were performed in a triaxial compression apparatus in three variants. The first variant of testing was carried out on cemented soil samples, which were cemented in situ. The next two series of tests were performed on reconstructed samples, i.e., natural soil and soil inoculated with a solution of Sporosarcina pasteurii bacteria. The results obtained show that carbonate cementation increases the shear strength of the soil; in addition, this biomineralization-induced cementation gives higher cu results than natural carbonate cementation.

Bio-cement built on microbial induced carbonate precipitation MICP, be able to consolidate the loose grains and can applied for soil reinforcement. In this study, the performing of an ureolytic Sporosarcina Pasteurii for sand stabilization was estimated. The S. Pasteurii Could effectively consolidates sand particles through urea hydrolysis and the successive production of calcite. The bio improved sands had relative great compressive strength after 60 days exposure to bacterial cells injections cycles. The compressive strength of bio stabilized sands was reliant on the utilized cell concentrations and density of urea and CaCl2. High bacteria cell masses decreased the compressive strength. The optimal density of cell, was OD600 0.5, when cost and performance were taken into account. The study shows that bio cementation of sand built on microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has ability for the reduction of sand permeability through pore clogging with precipitated carbonate.

For a long time in the practice of geotechnical engineering, soil has been viewed as an inert material, comprising only inorganic phases. However, microorganisms including bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes are ubiquitous in soil and have the capacity and capability to alter bio‐geochemical processes in the local soil environment. The cumulative changes could consequently modify the physical, mechanical, conductive and chemical properties of the bulk soil matrix. In recent years, the topic of bio‐mediated geotechnics has gained momentum in the scientific literature. It involves the manipulation of various bio‐geochemical soil processes to improve soil engineering performance. In particular, the process of microbial‐induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has received the most attention for its superior performance for soil improvement. The present work aims to shape a comprehensive understanding of recent developments in bio‐mediated geotechnics, with a focus on MICP. Referring to around one hundred studies published over the past five years, this review focuses on popular and alternative MICP processes, innovative raw materials and additives for MICP, emerging tools and testing methodologies for characterizing MICP at multi‐scale, and applications in emerging and/or unconventional geotechnical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strength of sandy soil can be improved via enzyme-induced calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation (EICP). This method is a sustainable and environmentally friendly soil improvement technique that forms calcium carbonate between and around the soil particles. The formation of CaCO3 is achieved through the hydrolysis of urea that is catalyzed by free enzyme urease. This paper is divided into two parts. The first part explains the test-tube tests that were conducted to determine the amount and efficiency of CaCO3 precipitation at different concentrations of the cementation reagent (CCR). The second part describes the effects of multiple treatment cycles on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of EICP-treated soil. The soil samples were mixed with the EICP solution and compacted into PVC moulds. It was then followed by cycles of treatment with the EICP solution via surface percolation. The effectiveness of the bio-cementation was determined through a series of UCS tests. The results revealed that the UCS increased with higher CCR and more treatment cycles. The increase in UCS was also attributed to higher amounts of CaCO3 precipitated within the soil matrix. The highest UCS value of 1712 kPa was obtained at 1 M after the 3rd cycle of treatment with 8.21% CaCO3content. In conclusion, a higher number of treatment cycles demonstrated that increased deposition of CaCO3 precipitates increases the bonding effects and strength of the treated soil. Successful use of EICP in soil improvement will help in reducing sustainability concerns related to the production of conventional stabilizers such as cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-mediated techniques have the potential to be an eco-friendly and sustainable solution for engineering problems in the presence of unfavorable soil conditions. During the microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) process, calcium carbonate is the byproduct of a series of biological and chemical reactions in the soil media. Although the shear response of MICP-treated sands with different calcium carbonate content has been extensively investigated, the behavior of this material subjected to varying stress paths with different levels of cementation and particle sizes is still unknown. In this study, the material behavior of MICP-treated sands under axisymmetric compression, radial extension, constant p', and constant q stress paths at moderate and heavy level of cementation is evaluated by conducting drained triaxial tests on specimens with relative density of about 40%. Shear wave velocity was measured during the course of treatment and shearing to monitor cementation and degradation processes. In addition, the effect of stress relaxation and compression after bio-treatment on shear response is evaluated. A previously proposed nonlinear failure envelope for MICP-treated sands is also verified by comparing the shear and normal stresses at failure with those predicted by the nonlinear failure envelope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-cementation is currently appraised to solidify sandy soils, but only few studies use it to cement loess soil particles. The effects of the addition of loess soils on bacterial growth, urease activity, and productive rates for calcium carbonate were studied. Moreover, bio-cementation tests were conducted to improve the collapsibility of loess soils. The results showed that adding increased loess soils increased the pH of supernatant, while the addition of loess soils slightly affected the growth and urease activity of Sporosarcina pasteurii. The productive rates for calcium carbonate in samples treated with calcium chloride and calcium acetate are larger than those treated with calcium nitrate. The optimum concentrations of calcium ions and urea in the cementation solution for bio-cementation tests were 0.75 M and 1.0 M, respectively. The coefficients of collapsibility of samples with various initial densities all decreased via bio-cementation, but the decreasing ratios were different. The productive rates for calcium carbonate were larger for the samples with larger densities. The coefficients of collapsibility decreased with the increase in treatment cycles. Moreover, there were larger increasing ranges of productive rates for precipitation from 4 to 6 cycles. Adding bacterial suspension and cementation solution together enabled better treatment effects for the samples with smaller densities, however, while adding them separately was more suitable for the samples with larger densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Various applications of microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been proposed. However, most studies use cultured pure strains to obtain MICP, ignoring advantages of microbial consortia. The aims of this study were to: (i) test the feasibility of a microbial consortium to produce MICP; (ii) identify functional micro‐organisms and their relationship; (iii) explain the MICP mechanism; (iv) propose a way of applying the MICP technique to soil media. Methods and Results: Anaerobic sludge was used as the source of the microbial consortium. A laboratory anaerobic sequencing batch reactor and beaker were used to perform precipitation experiment. The microbial consortium produced MICP with an efficiency of 96·6%. XRD and SEM analysis showed that the precipitation composed of different‐size calcite crystals. According to high‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the functional micro‐organisms included acetogenic bacteria, acetate‐oxidizing bacteria and archaea Methanosaeta and Methanobacterium beijingense. The methanogenesis acetate degradation provides dissolved inorganic carbon and increases pH for MICP. A series of reactions catalysed by many enzymes and cofactors of methanogens and acetate‐oxidizers are involved in the acetate degradation. Conclusion: This work demonstrates the feasibility of using the microbial consortium to achieve MICP from an experimental and theoretical perspective. Significance and Impact of the Study: A method of applying the microbial‐consortium MICP to soil media is proposed. It has the advantages of low cost, low environmental impact, treatment uniformity and less limitations from natural soils. This method could be used to improve mechanical properties, plug pores and fix harmful elements of soil media, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcareous sands have abundant intraparticle pores and are prone to particle breakage. This often leads to poor engineering properties, which poses a challenge to coastal infrastructure construction. A study using bio-cementation to improve the engineering properties of calcareous sand is presented in this paper. The macro- and microscopic properties of bio-cemented calcareous sand were characterized by drained triaxial tests and scanning electron microscopy observations. Experimental results show that the precipitated calcium carbonate can effectively fill the intra- and interparticle pores and bond adjacent particles, thus enhancing the shear strength of calcareous sand. The special structures (e.g. abundant intraparticle pores and rough surface) and mineral components (i.e. calcium carbonate) of calcareous sand are beneficial for improving bacterial retention in soil, which leads to a relatively uniform and dense calcium carbonate distribution on the sand particle surface, exhibiting a layer-by-layer growth pattern. This growth pattern and the abundant interparticle pores would result in less effective calcium carbonate. The strength enhancement of bio-cemented calcareous sand is significantly lower than that of bio-cemented silica sand at the same calcium carbonate content, which may be caused by the differences in the following: (a) soil skeleton strength; (b) the amount of effective calcium carbonate; and (c) interparticle pore-filling of calcium carbonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]