MICROBIAL-INDUCED CALCITE PRECIPITATION: A MILESTONE TOWARDS SOIL IMPROVEMENT

ABDULAZIZ ALIYU DARDAU; MUSKHAZLI  MUSTAFA; NOR AZWADY ABD AZIZ

doi:10.55230/mabjournal.v50i1.9

Authors

ABDULAZIZ ALIYU DARDAU Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Lafia, Lafia, Akunza 950101, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
MUSKHAZLI MUSTAFA
muskhazli@upm.edu.my
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
NOR AZWADY ABD AZIZ Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Keywords:

Biomineralization, Calcium carbonate, calcite, urease enzyme, ureolysis, ureolytic bacteria

Abstract

Microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a natural process that offered various applications in the engineering field materials and construction industry. It has recently emerged as an innovative, eco-friendly, and economically engineered
process. One of the successful MICP methods of improving the engineering properties of soils is ureolysis. The ureolysis drove the process of precipitate calcite which binds soil particles within the soil matrix thus enhance soil characteristics
such as stiffness, permeability, hydraulic conductivity, shear strength, and compressive strength. This paper aimed at reviewing the concept of utilizing calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation by ureolytic bacteria towards the improvement of soil and sand engineering properties for various geotechnical applications. The potential applications of this technology
in soil erosion, stability, and reinforcement were discussed. Detail overviews of the temperature, pH, bacteria cell concentration, nutrients, types of bacteria, and concentration of reactants that affect the efficiency of the process are also reviewed. This review demonstrated the potential of the MICP technology from the laboratory to a field-scale or commercial applications.