Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Study on the influence of magnesium/calcium ratios on bio-cemented sandy soils

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Acta Geotechnica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been extensively studied as a promising technique for soil stabilization. However, the heterogeneity in bio-cementation always hampers the application of MICP. Seawater contains more magnesium ions (Mg2+) than calcium ions (Ca2+) and using magnesium for bio-cementation might be more cost-effective in coastal cities. In this study, the microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation (MIMCP) treatment was proposed to solve the problem of heterogeneity, where the urea-magnesium-calcium solution was used as the cementation solution with various Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios. The influences of Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios on pH, bio-flocculation, and chemical conversion efficiency were studied. The sand bio-cementation tests were subsequently conducted to compare the treatment effects with different Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios. Results showed that the increase in Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios resulted in lower pH levels and smaller percentages of bio-flocculation. The higher Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio also provided a longer lag period, regardless of biomass concentrations; however, the chemical conversion efficiency decreased. Furthermore, the increased Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios resulted in a small difference in UCS and contents of precipitation at different parts of bio-cemented soils, achieving better homogeneity in bio-cementation. However, the strength significantly decreased at an Mg2+ concentration over 0.8 M due to much smaller contents of precipitation. In addition, with increased Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios, more aragonite in calcium precipitation was produced. The proposed MIMCP method in this study was significant to improve the homogeneity of bio-cemented soil in practical engineering applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  1. Ahmed F (2007) Effects of cation addition on the flocculation behaviour of activated sludge at applied constant shear force

  2. Al Qabany A, Soga K, Santamarina C (2012) Factors affecting efficiency of microbially induced calcite precipitation. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 138(8):992–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Apriliani NF, Baqiya MA, Darminto D (2012) Pengaruh penambahan larutan MgCl2 pada sintesis kalsium karbonat presipitat berbahan dasar batu kapur dengan metode karbonasi. J Sains Dan Seni ITS 1(1):B30–B34

    Google Scholar 

  4. ASTM C (2015) Standard practice for capping cylindrical concrete specimens. C617M-15

  5. Bibi S, Oualha M, Ashfaq MY, Suleiman MT, Zouari N (2018) Isolation, differentiation and biodiversity of ureolytic bacteria of Qatari soil and their potential in microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) for soil stabilization. RSC Adv 8(11):5854–5863

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Burbank M, Weaver T, Lewis R, Williams T, Williams B, Crawford R (2013) Geotechnical tests of sands following bioinduced calcite precipitation catalyzed by indigenous bacteria. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 139(6):928–936

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cai G, Du Y, Liu S, Singh D (2015) Physical properties, electrical resistivity, and strength characteristics of carbonated silty soil admixed with reactive magnesia. Can Geotech J 52(11):1699–1713

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cheary RW, Coelho A (1992) A fundamental parameters approach to X-ray line-profile fitting. J Appl Crystallogr 25(2):109–121

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cheng L (2012) Innovative ground enhancement by improved microbially induced CaCO3 precipitation technology. Murdoch University

  10. Cheng L, Shahin MA, Chu J (2019) Soil bio-cementation using a new one-phase low-pH injection method. Acta Geotech 14(3):615–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chu J, Ivanov V, Naeimi M, Stabnikov V, Liu H-L (2014) Optimization of calcium-based bioclogging and biocementation of sand. Acta Geotech 9(2):277–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Cuthbert MO, McMillan LA, Handley-Sidhu S, Riley MS, Tobler DJ, Phoenix VR (2013) A field and modeling study of fractured rock permeability reduction using microbially induced calcite precipitation. Environ Sci Technol 47(23):13637–13643

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. DeJong JT, Mortensen BM, Martinez BC, Nelson DC (2010) Bio-mediated soil improvement. Ecol Eng 36(2):197–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Dernby K, Avery OT (1918) The optimum hydrogen ion concentration for the growth of pneumococcus. J Exp Med 28(3):345

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Falini G, Fermani S, Tosi G, Dinelli E (2009) Calcium carbonate morphology and structure in the presence of seawater ions and humic acids. Cryst Growth Des 9(5):2065–2072

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Fan Y, Hu X, Zhao Y, Wu M, Wang S, Wang P, Xue Y, Zhu S (2020) Urease producing microorganisms for coal dust suppression isolated from coal: characterization and comparative study. Adv Powder Technol 31(9):4095–4106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Fernandez-Diaz L, Putnis A, Prieto M, Putnis CV (1996) The role of magnesium in the crystallization of calcite and aragonite in a porous medium. J Sediment Res 66(3):482–491

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Fidaleo M, Lavecchia R (2003) Kinetic study of enzymatic urea hydrolysis in the pH range 4–9. Chem Biochem Eng Q 17(4):311–318

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. García-Gaines RA and Frankenstein S (2015) USCS and the USDA soil classification system: development of a mapping scheme

  20. Gawwad HA, Mohamed SAE-A, Mohammed SA (2016) Impact of magnesium chloride on the mechanical properties of innovative bio-mortar. Mater Lett 178:39–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ginn TR, Wood BD, Nelson KE, Scheibe TD, Murphy EM, Clement TP (2002) Processes in microbial transport in the natural subsurface. Adv Water Resour 25(8–12):1017–1042

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Greenberg AE, Clesceri LS, Eaton AD (1992) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 18th edn. American Public Health Association, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  23. Hamdan N, Kavazanjian E Jr, Rittmann BE, Karatas I (2017) Carbonate mineral precipitation for soil improvement through microbial denitrification. Geomicrobiol J 34(2):139–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Harkes MP, Van Paassen LA, Booster JL, Whiffin VS, van Loosdrecht MC (2010) Fixation and distribution of bacterial activity in sand to induce carbonate precipitation for ground reinforcement. Ecol Eng 36(2):112–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Harvey KB, Porter GB, Porter GB, (1963) Introduction to physical inorganic chemistry. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley

  26. Huang T, Yuan Q, Deng D (2019) The role of phosphoric acid in improving the strength of magnesium oxychloride cement pastes with large molar ratios of H2O/MgCl2. Cement Concr Compos 97:379–386

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Ivanov V, Chu J (2008) Applications of microorganisms to geotechnical engineering for bioclogging and biocementation of soil in situ. Rev Environ Sci Bio/Technol 7(2):139–153

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Knorst MT, Neubert R, Wohlrab W (1997) Analytical methods for measuring urea in pharmaceutical formulations. J Pharm Biomed Anal 15(11):1627–1632

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Lv C, Tang CS, Zhang JZ, Pan XH, Liu H (2023) Effects of calcium sources and magnesium ions on the mechanical behavior of MICP-treated calcareous sand: experimental evidence and precipitated crystal insights. Acta Geotech 18(5):2703–2717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Mahawish A, Bouazza A, Gates WP (2018) Effect of particle size distribution on the bio-cementation of coarse aggregates. Acta Geotech 13(4):1019–1025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Miao L, Wu L, Sun X, Li X, Zhang J (2020) Method for solidifying desert sands with enzyme-catalysed mineralization. Land Degrad Dev 31(11):1317–1324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Mwandira W, Nakashima K, Kawasaki S (2017) Bioremediation of lead-contaminated mine waste by Pararhodobacter sp. based on the microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation technique and its effects on strength of coarse and fine grained sand. Ecol Eng 1(109):57–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Nordstrom DK, Plummer LN, Langmuir D, Busenberg E, May HM, Jones BF, Parkhurst DL (1990) Revised chemical equilibrium data for major water—mineral reactions and their limitations. ACS Publications

  34. Phillips AJ, Eldring JJ, Hiebert R, Lauchnor E, Mitchell AC, Cunningham A, Spangler L, Gerlach R (2015) Design of a meso-scale high pressure vessel for the laboratory examination of biogeochemical subsurface processes. J Petrol Sci Eng 126:55–62

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Protas J (1974) Sedimentary carbonate minerals by F Lippmann. J Appl Crystallogr 7(3):407–407

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Putra H, Yasuhara H, Kinoshita N, Neupane D, Lu C-W (2016) Effect of magnesium as substitute material in enzyme-mediated calcite precipitation for soil-improvement technique. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 4:37

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Ramachandran SK, Ramakrishnan V, Bang SS (2001) Remediation of concrete using micro-organisms. ACI Mater J Am Concrete Inst 98(1):3–9

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Romanek CS, Grossman EL, Morse JW (1992) Carbon isotopic fractionation in synthetic aragonite and calcite: effects of temperature and precipitation rate. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 56(1):419–430

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Rong H, Qian C (2012) Characterization of microbe cementitious materials. Chin Sci Bull 57(11):1333–1338

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Salifu E, MacLachlan E, Iyer KR, Knapp CW, Tarantino A (2016) Application of microbially induced calcite precipitation in erosion mitigation and stabilisation of sandy soil foreshore slopes: A preliminary investigation. Eng Geol 201:96–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Shahrokhi-Shahraki R, Zomorodian SMA, Niazi A, O’Kelly BC (2015) Improving sand with microbial-induced carbonate precipitation. Proceed Inst Civil Eng Ground Improv 168(3):217–230

    Google Scholar 

  42. Sharma M, Satyam N, Reddy KR (2020) Strength enhancement and lead immobilization of sand using consortia of bacteria and blue-green algae. J Hazard Toxic Radioact Waste 24(4):04020049

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Sobeck DC, Higgins MJ (2002) Examination of three theories for mechanisms of cation-induced bioflocculation. Water Res 36(3):527–538

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Stabnikov V, Naeimi M, Ivanov V, Chu J (2011) Formation of water-impermeable crust on sand surface using biocement. Cem Concr Res 41(11):1143–1149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Stachowicz M, Hiemstra T, van Riemsdijk WH (2008) Multi-competitive interaction of As (III) and As (V) oxyanions with Ca2+, Mg2+, PO3− 4, and CO2− 3 ions on goethite. J Colloid Interface Sci 320(2):400–414

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Stocks-Fischer S, Galinat JK, Bang SS (1999) Microbiological precipitation of CaCO3. Soil Biol Biochem 31(11):1563–1571

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Sun X, Miao L, Tong T, Wang C (2018) Improvement of microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation technology for sand solidification. J Mater Civ Eng 30(11):04018301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Sun X, Miao L, Tong T, Wang C (2019) Study of the effect of temperature on microbially induced carbonate precipitation. Acta Geotech 14(3):627–638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Sun X, Miao L, Wu L, Wang C (2019) Study of magnesium precipitation based on biocementation. Mar Georesour Geotechnol 37(10):1257–1266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Sun X, Miao L, Wu L, Wang H (2021) Theoretical quantification for cracks repair based on microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) method. Cement Concr Compos 118:103950

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Sun X, Miao L, Yuan J, Wang H, Wu L (2021) Application of enzymatic calcification for dust control and rainfall erosion resistance improvement. Sci Total Environ 759:143468

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Sworska A, Laskowski JS, Cymerman G (2000) Flocculation of the Syncrude fine tailings: Part I. Effect of pH, polymer dosage and Mg2+ and Ca2+ cations. Int J Mineral Process 60(2):143–152

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Van Paassen LA (2009) Biogrout, ground improvement by microbial induced carbonate precipitation

  54. van Paassen LA, Ghose R, van der Linden TJ, van der Star WR, van Loosdrecht MC (2010) Quantifying biomediated ground improvement by ureolysis: large-scale biogrout experiment. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 136(12):1721–1728

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Wang R (2009) Study on biomineralization process of calcium carbonate mediated by microbe and its application in restoration of cement-based materials defects. Southeast University Nanjing, China

    Google Scholar 

  56. Wang Y-J, Jiang N-J, Han X-L, Doygun O, Du Y-J (2022) Shear behavior of bio-cemented calcareous sand treated through bio-stimulation under the direct shear condition. Bull Eng Geol Env 81(10):413

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Wen K, Li Y, Amini F, Li L (2020) Impact of bacteria and urease concentration on precipitation kinetics and crystal morphology of calcium carbonate. Acta Geotech 15(1):17–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Whiffin VS (2004) Microbial CaCO3 precipitation for the production of biocement. Murdoch University

  59. Whiffin VS, Van Paassen LA, Harkes MP (2007) Microbial carbonate precipitation as a soil improvement technique. Geomicrobiol J 24(5):417–423

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Xiao Y, Wang Y, Wang S, Evans TM, Stuedlein AW, Chu J, Zhao C, Wu H, Liu H (2021) Homogeneity and mechanical behaviors of sands improved by a temperature-controlled one-phase MICP method. Acta Geotech 16(5):1417–1427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Xu X, Guo H, Cheng X, Li M (2020) The promotion of magnesium ions on aragonite precipitation in MICP process. Constr Build Mater 263:120057

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Yang Y, Chu J, Xiao Y, Liu H, Cheng L (2019) Seepage control in sand using bioslurry. Constr Build Mater 212:342–349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Yang Y, Ruan S, Wu S, Chu J, Unluer C, Liu H, Cheng L (2021) Biocarbonation of reactive magnesia for soil improvement. Acta Geotech 16(4):1113–1125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Yasuhara H, Putra H, Kinoshita N (2016) Enzyme-mediated carbonate precipitation (EMCP) for soil improvement: the effect of magnesium substitution. In: The 2016 World congress on advances in civil, Environmental and materials research (ACEM16)

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the valuable comments from the reviewers. This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 51578147), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant number 2242020R20025), Science and Technology Department of Ningxia (grant number 2020BFG02014), and the Transportation Department of Ningxia (grant number 202000173).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    Xiaohao Sun

  2. Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, Jiangsu, China

    Linchang Miao, Hengxing Wang, Ziming Cao & Linyu Wu

  3. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Blk N1, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Jian Chu

Authors
  1. Xiaohao Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Linchang Miao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hengxing Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ziming Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Linyu Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jian Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Xiaohao Sun and Linchang Miao conceived and designed the research. Hengxing Wang, Ziming Cao, and Linyu Wu conducted experiments. Xiaohao Sun and Hengxing Wang analyzed data and wrote the manuscript. Linchang Miao and Jian Chu reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Linchang Miao or Hengxing Wang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sun, X., Miao, L., Wang, H. et al. Study on the influence of magnesium/calcium ratios on bio-cemented sandy soils. Acta Geotech. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-024-02248-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-024-02248-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation