Biomineralization and MICP in Wastewater, Reclaimed Water and Seawater

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomineralization and Biominerals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 2799

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Laboratorio de Biotecnología Ambiental Aplicada, Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Avda. Angamos 601, Antofagasta 1270300, Chile
Interests: microalgae; biotechnology; microbial biomineralization
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Unidad de Bioquímica, Departamento Biomédico, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile
Interests: biomineralization; biomining; mineral biobeneficiation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are seeking submissions of high-quality peer-reviewed studies in the field of microbial biomineralization with relation to wastewater, reclaimed water and seawater.

Given the scarcity of water resulting from the global impact of climate change and drought, in addition to the significant development of industries that require large quantities of water, it is imperative that all water—be it wastewater, reclaimed water or seawater—be properly used and recycled. Thus, the development of new technologies that facilitate improved water quality or obtaining of new products via biomineralization has aroused great scientific interest in recent years.

Biomineralization performed by various types of organisms. Bacteria from the internal metabolism change their surrounding environment, inducing the precipitation of crystals such as calcium carbonate, struvite, etc. One of the most extensively studied processes is the precipitation of carbonates induced microbiologically or via MICP in the presence of urea. The bacteria use their urease enzyme, generating ammonium and carbonate and thus inducing the precipitation of calcium carbonate. MICP plays a relevant role due to its involvement in the removal of heavy metals through coprecipitation with CaCO3 and in biocementation, among other biotechnological applications.

This Special Issue will provide rapid, open access publication of promising, recent and novel research trends in biomineralization and MICP applied to wastewater, reclaimed water and seawater.

Topics within the scope of this Special Issue include (but are not limited to):

  • Isolation or use of new biomineralizing bacteria from extreme environments, including anaerobic, aerobic, acidophilic and halophilic bacteria applied to water.
  • New applications of MICP to water.
  • Application of biomineralization in heavy metals and metalloids removal processes from water.
  • Formation of biominerals in acidic environmental waters.

Dr. Mariella Rivas
Dr. Dayana Arias
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • biomineralization
  • MICP
  • ureolytic bacteria
  • produced water
  • heavy metals
  • biominerals

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 10804 KiB  
Article
Isolation and Characterization of Indigenous Ureolytic Bacteria from Mindanao, Philippines: Prospects for Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP)
by Kryzzyl M. Maulas, Charla S. Paredes, Carlito Baltazar Tabelin, Mark Anthony Jose, Einstine M. Opiso, Takahiko Arima, Ilhwan Park, Walubita Mufalo, Mayumi Ito, Toshifumi Igarashi, Theerayut Phengsaart, Edrhea Villas, Sheila L. Dagondon, Ephrime B. Metillo, Mylene M. Uy, Al James A. Manua and Mylah Villacorte-Tabelin
Minerals 2024, 14(4), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14040339 - 26 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1533
Abstract
Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP), a widespread phenomenon in nature, is gaining attention as a low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in geotechnical engineering and the construction industry for sustainable development. In the Philippines, however, very few works have been conducted to [...] Read more.
Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP), a widespread phenomenon in nature, is gaining attention as a low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in geotechnical engineering and the construction industry for sustainable development. In the Philippines, however, very few works have been conducted to isolate and identify indigenous, urease-producing (ureolytic) bacteria suitable for MICP. In this study, we isolated seven, ureolytic and potentially useful bacteria for MICP from marine sediments in Iligan City. DNA barcoding using 16s rDNA identified six of them as Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Bacillus paralicheniformis, Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus aryabhattai, and Stutzerimonas stutzeri but the seventh was not identified since it was a bacterial consortium. Bio-cementation assay experiments showed negligible precipitation in the control (without bacteria) at pH 7, 8, and 9. However, precipitates were formed in all seven bacterial isolates, especially between pH 7 and 8 (0.7–4 g). Among the six identified bacterial species, more extensive precipitation (2.3–4 g) and higher final pH were observed in S. stutzeri, and B. aryabhattai, which indicate better urease production and decomposition, higher CO2 generation, and more favorable CaCO3 formation. Characterization of the precipitates by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) confirmed the formation of three carbonate minerals: calcite, aragonite, and vaterite. Based on these results, all six identified indigenous, ureolytic bacterial species from Iligan City are suitable for MICP provided that the pH is controlled between 7 and 8. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the urease-producing ability and potential for MICP of P. stutzeri, P. pseudoalcaligenes, S. stutzeri, and B. aryabhattai. Full article
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21 pages, 5944 KiB  
Article
Calcium Carbonate Precipitation Behavior in the System Ca-Me2+-CO3-H2O (Me2+ = Co, Ni, Cu, Fe): Ion Incorporation, Effect of Temperature and Aging
by Oleg S. Vereshchagin, Irina A. Chernyshova, Maria A. Kuz’mina and Olga V. Frank-Kamenetskaya
Minerals 2023, 13(12), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13121497 - 29 Nov 2023
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Abstract
Crystalline calcium carbonates (CCCs) are among the most widespread minerals on the Earth’s surface and play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, heavy metal sorption and incorporation. Among the numerous factors that influence the precipitation of CCCs from solution, the most [...] Read more.
Crystalline calcium carbonates (CCCs) are among the most widespread minerals on the Earth’s surface and play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, heavy metal sorption and incorporation. Among the numerous factors that influence the precipitation of CCCs from solution, the most determinant are the presence of additives in the mineral-forming medium, temperature, and crystallization time (aging time). The current work fills the gaps in the study of calcium carbonate crystallization from heavy metal (Me2+ = Co, Ni, Cu Fe)-containing solutions (Me2+/Ca 0.005–1.600) at different temperatures (3 and 23 °C) and aging times (21–158 days). The resulting precipitates were studied using optical and scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Three crystalline calcium carbonates (synthetic analogues of calcite, aragonite and monohydrocalcite), as well as amorphous carbonate (AC), were found in the resulting precipitates. Temperature and aging time have a considerable effect on the phase composition, morphology and heavy metal content in CCCs. Low temperature (3 °C) and short aging times are generally favorable for the formation of monohydrocalcite and amorphous carbonate, while calcite tends to form at a higher temperature (23 °C) and in long-term experiments. Heavy metals can be incorporated into the calcite/monohydrocalcite crystal lattice in sufficient amounts, while aragonite can host a very small amount of Me2+ (or none). Calcite can concentrate Co (up to ~0.25 atoms per formula unit (apfu)) and Ni/Cu (up to ~0.05 apfu), while its Fe content is very close to the detection limits. Calcite precipitated at a higher Me2+/Ca ratio and temperature (23 °C) contains less Me2+ compared to calcite precipitated at a lower Me2+/Ca ratio and temperature (3 °C). Monohydrocalcite can host up to ~0.1 apfu of Co/Ni/Cu with no detectable preference for Me2+. The amount of Me2+ in monohydrocalcite decreases as aging time or temperature increases. It is worth noting that AC is the main carrier of heavy metals in the system being investigated and it should be considered the main host phase in heavy metal adsorption from aqueous solutions. The results obtained can be used to solve environmental issues and in mineral resource management. Full article
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