Microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a bio-cementation process that can improve the engineering properties of granular soils through the precipitation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) minerals on soil particle surfaces and contacts. The technology has advanced rapidly as an environmentally conscious soil improvement method, however, our understanding of the effect of changes in field-representative environmental conditions on the physical and chemical properties of resulting precipitates has remained limited. An improved understanding of the effect of subsurface geochemical and soil conditions on process reaction kinetics and the morphology and mineralogy of bio-cementation may be critical towards enabling successful field-scale deployment of the technology and improving our understanding of the long-term chemical permanence of bio-cemented soils in different environments. In this study, thirty-five batch experiments were performed to specifically investigate the influence of seawater ions and varying soil materials on the mineralogy, morphology, and reaction kinetics of ureolytic bio-cementation. During experiments, differences in reaction kinetics were quantified to identify conditions inhibiting CaCO3precipitation and ureolysis. Following experiments, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and chemical composition analyses were employed to quantify differences in mineralogical compositions and material morphology. Ions present in seawater and variations in soil materials were shown to significantly influence ureolytic activity and precipitate mineralogy and morphology, however, calcite remained the predominant CaCO3polymorph in all experiments with relative percentages exceeding 80% by mass in all precipitates.
- Award ID(s):
- 1824647
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10162705
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- GeoCongress 2020
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 83 to 95
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract 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 Vsmeasurements 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.
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482834.010
