Characteristics of Calcium Carbonate Crystals Mediated Bacillus cereus

Abstract

Concrete, quickly damageable due to its properties such as weak in tension, limited ductility, little resistance to cracking, is one of the construction materials. Recently, microbial-induced calcite precipitation increased the performance and service-life of concrete structures have attracted wide attention in civil engineering applications. This project presents the calcite precipitation influence of Bacillus cereus showing urease activity from Kilis soil. Bacillus sp. showed 1.38 ± 0.07 µmol/min/mg urease enzyme activity. The calcium precipitation-induced B. cereus was carried out using medium adding water as a natural source of calcium. The morphology and elemental composition of the calcite were investigated using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray mapping and X-ray diffraction analyses. The formation of hexagonal rhombohedral calcite and orthorhombic aragonite crystals was observed by mineralogical analyses. These results indicated that the usage of bacteria like B. cereus may be enhanced the strength and durability of concrete.

Keywords:

• Bacillus sp.
• calcium carbonate
• SEM
• urase

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).