Applications of Microbial Processes in Geotechnical Engineering

Composite biomediated engineering approaches for improving problematic soils: Potentials and opportunities

Several conventional chemical stabilizers are used for soil stabilization, among which cement is widely adopted. However, the high energy consumption and environmental challenges associated with these stabilizers have necessitated the transition toward the adoption/deployment of eco-friendly approaches for soil stabilization. Biomediated techniques are sustainable soil improvement methods adopting less toxic microorganisms, enzymes, or polymers for cementing soil. However, these processes also have several drawbacks, such as slow hardening, environmental impact, high cost, and lack of compatibility with different types of soils. It is hypothesized that these limitations may be overcome by exploring the prospects and opportunities offered by hybrid technological approaches involving the integration of nontraditional stabilizers and microbial-induced biomineralization processes for improving problematic soils. This paper discusses selected previous studies integrating different technologies and their benefits and challenges. The emerging fungi-based bio-mediation techniques and the possibility of forming sustainable fungal-based biocomposites to improve problematic soils are also highlighted.

Microbial‑induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology: a review on the fundamentals and engineering applications

The microbial‑induced carbonate precipitation (MICP), as an emerging biomineralization technology mediated by specific bacteria, has been a popular research focus for scientists and engineers through the previous two decades as an interdisciplinary approach. It provides cutting-edge solutions for various engineering problems emerging in the context of frequent and intense human activities. This paper is aimed at reviewing the fundaments and engineering applications of the MICP technology through existing studies, covering realistic need in geotechnical engineering, construction materials, hydraulic engineering, geological engineering, and environmental engineering. It adds a new perspective on the feasibility and difficulty for field practice. Analysis and discussion within different parts are generally carried out based on specific considerations in each field. MICP may bring comprehensive improvement of static and dynamic characteristics of geomaterials, thus enhancing their bearing capacity and resisting liquefication. It helps produce eco-friendly and durable building materials. MICP is a promising and cost-efficient technology in preserving water resources and subsurface fluid leakage. Piping, internal erosion and surface erosion could also be addressed by this technology. MICP has been proved suitable for stabilizing soils and shows promise in dealing with problematic soils like bentonite and expansive soils. It is also envisaged that this technology may be used to mitigate against impacts of geological hazards such as liquefaction associated with earthquakes. Moreover, global environment issues including fugitive dust, contaminated soil and climate change problems are assumed to be palliated or even removed via the positive effects of this technology. Bioaugmentation, biostimulation, and enzymatic approach are three feasible paths for MICP. Decision makers should choose a compatible, efficient and economical way among them and develop an on-site solution based on engineering conditions. To further decrease the cost and energy consumption of the MICP technology, it is reasonable to make full use of industrial by-products or wastes and non-sterilized media. The prospective direction of this technology is to make construction more intelligent without human intervention, such as autogenous healing. To reach this destination, MICP could be coupled with other techniques like encapsulation and ductile fibers. MICP is undoubtfully a mainstream engineering technology for the future, while ecological balance, environmental impact and industrial applicability should still be cautiously treated in its real practice.

Characterization and applicability of novel alkali-tolerant carbonatogenic bacteria as environment-friendly bioconsolidants for management of concrete structures and soil erosion

Cracking and erosion are critical factors that reduce the mechanical properties and stability of concrete structures and soil, respectively. They are recognized worldwide as severe disasters causing the collapse of many structures including stone heritage and dams, and landslides. Therefore, it is essential to propose effective and environment-friendly management methods to prevent them. Carbonatogenesis has recently received considerable attention as a reliable biological process for remediating cracks in calcareous structures, stabilizing loose soils, and sequestering CO₂ in the environment. Isolating and characterizing carbonatogenic bacteria with excellent performance is crucial for applying this process to the field of environmental and civil engineering. The aim of this study was to isolate new CaCO₃-precipitating bacteria and investigate various properties for their use as bioconsolidants. Furthermore, the possibility of restoring damaged structures and stabilizing loose sandy soil using isolated strain was investigated. Strain LC13 with urease and CaCO₃-precipitating activity was isolated from limestone cave soil in Korea and identified as Arthrobacter sulfureus by phenotypic characterization and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Although cell growth was observed after an adaptation period at pH 11, strain LC13 grew well at pH 7-11, indicating alkali tolerance. The optimal conditions for CaCO₃ precipitation were 1.0% yeast extract, 2.5% urea, 0.35% NaHCO₃, and 400 mM CaCl₂, with an initial pH of 6.5 at 30 °C. Under optimized conditions, maximal CaCO₃ (22.92 ± 0.14 g/l) precipitated after 3 days, which was 10.8-fold higher than the value in a urea-CaCl₂ medium. CaCO₃ precipitation by strain LC13 was associated with an increased pH due to ureolysis and protein deamination. Using an optimized medium as a cementation solution, strain LC13 completely remediated 340-760 μm wide cracks over 3 days, and also restored the spalling of concrete surfaces. Furthermore, the sand treated with LC13 solidified with a surface strength of 14.9 kPa. Instrumental analysis confirmed that the crystals precipitated were a mixture of CaCO₃ polymorphs composed of rhombohedral calcite and spherical vaterite. These results suggest that A. sulfureus LC13 may be useful for implementing sustainable biorestoration and environmental management technologies such as the in situ remediation of structural cracks and in situ prevention of soil erosion.

Advances in Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation and Application to Soil Improvement: A Review

Climate change and global warming have prompted a notable shift towards sustainable geotechnics and construction materials within the geotechnical engineer’s community. Earthen construction materials, in particular, are considered sustainable due to their inherent characteristics of having low embodied and operational energies, fire resistance, and ease of recyclability. Despite these attributes, they have not been part of the mainstream construction due to their susceptibility to water-induced deterioration. Conventional soil improvement techniques are generally expensive, energy-intensive, and environmentally harmful. Recently, biostabilization has emerged as a sustainable alternative that can overcome some of the limitations of existing soil improvement methods. Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) is a particularly promising technique due to its ease of application and compatibility with different soil types. EICP exploits the urease enzyme as a catalyst to promote the hydrolysis of urea inside the pore water, which, in the presence of calcium ions, results in the precipitation of calcium carbonate. The purpose of this paper is to provide a state-of-the-art review of EICP stabilization, highlighting the potential application of this technique to field problems and identifying current research gaps. The paper discusses recent progress, focusing on the most important factors that govern the efficiency of the chemical reactions and the precipitation of a spatially homogenous carbonate phase. The paper also discusses other aspects of EICP stabilization, including the degree of ground improvement, the prediction of the pore structure of the treated soil by numerical simulations, and the remediation of potentially toxic EICP by-products.

Experimental Study on Microbial Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation to Enhance Reservoir Recovery

Background

Bacillus subtilis can produce urease in the presence of urea as the main carbon source and induce mineralization in the presence of precipitable cations.

Objectives

The objective of our study was to demonstrate that Bacillus subtilis catabolizes glucose first in the presence of both glucose and urea carbon sources. Using its feature of catabolizing glucose first to delay the mineralization time, it proved its potential application in enhancing the recovery of heterogeneous reservoirs.

Material and Methods

The metabolic process of Bacillus subtilis was monitored by changing the glucose content in the bacterial medium by UV spectrophotometer and pH meter. Using a non-homogeneous physical model, experiments were conducted to improve reservoir recovery by microbial mineralization after polymer oil drive.

Results

The higher the glucose content in the medium, the longer the time for the pH of the bacterial solution to reach 7 and the longer the end of the logarithmic phase of growth. the glucose content of the 48 h medium was significantly correlated with the consumption of the bacteria and the quality of the precipitation. In the oil drive experiment the permeability of the high permeability model was reduced from 1200 md to 136 md with a reduction rate of 88.6 %, and the permeability of the low permeability model was reduced by 22 md, and the crude oil recovery was increased by 7.9 %.

Conclusions

It was demonstrated that the addition of glucose to the culture medium retarded the mineralization of bacteria. Only 0.2 times the pore volume of the bacterial solution and the cementing solution is required to form an effective seal, thus improving the recovery of crude oil.

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation via methanogenesis pathway by a microbial consortium enriched from activated anaerobic sludge

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.

Investigating Ammonium By-product Removal for Ureolytic Bio-cementation Using Meter-scale Experiments

Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP), or bio-cementation, is a promising bio-mediated technology that can improve the engineering properties of soils through the precipitation of calcium carbonate. Despite significant advances in the technology, concerns regarding the fate of produced NH₄⁺ by-products have remained largely unaddressed. In this study, five 3.7-meter long soil columns each containing one of three different soils were improved using ureolytic bio-cementation, and post-treatment NH₄⁺ by-product removal was investigated during the application of 525 L of a high pH and high ionic strength rinse solution. During rinsing, reductions in aqueous NH₄⁺ were observed in all columns from initial concentrations between ≈100 mM to 500 mM to final values between ≈0.3 mM and 20 mM with higher NH₄⁺ concentrations observed at distances furthest from the injection well. In addition, soil V_s measurements completed during rinse injections suggested that no significant changes in cementation integrity occurred during NH₄⁺ removal. After rinsing and a 12 hour stop flow period, all column solutions achieved cumulative NH₄⁺ removals exceeding 97.9%. Soil samples collected following rinsing, however, contained significant sorbed NH₄⁺ masses that appeared to have a near linear relationship with surrounding aqueous NH₄⁺ concentrations. While these results suggest that NH₄⁺ can be successfully removed from bio-cemented soils, acceptable limits for NH₄⁺ aqueous concentrations and sorbed NH₄⁺ masses will likely be governed by site-specific requirements and may require further investigation and refinement of the developed techniques.