Highlights

• The paper introduces biomineralization as a novel method for repairing concrete, potentially enhancing durability while reducing raw material use and carbon emissions.
• It details the biodiversity of microbes involved in concrete repair and differentiates between two primary mechanisms of biomineralization, underscoring the complexity and potential of microbial interaction with concrete materials.
• Future research directions suggest expanding microbial species diversity and developing standardized procedures to optimize and scale the application of biomineralization in concrete repair.

Summary

Concrete is a widely used material that often suffers cracks that compromise its structural integrity and longevity. Traditional repair methods fall short of addressing these issues. This paper explores biomineralization as a potential solution that can reduce environmental impacts.

The study examines how microorganisms contribute to biomineralization, focusing on two mechanisms: 1) microbially-controlled mineralization (where microbes actively participate in the mineralization process, depositing minerals that fill and solidify cracks) and 2) microbially-induced mineralization (where microbes indirectly facilitate mineral deposition by creating conditions that encourage mineral formation which will then reinforce the concrete matrix). These processes allow microbes to deposit minerals that solidify cracks in concrete, with applications divided into passive and intrinsic healing. The paper also discusses microbial mineralization’s environmental and economic benefits in concrete repair.

It concludes by strongly suggesting more research to address limitations such as the reliance on a narrow range of microbial species and the lack of standardized application methods. Future research should focus on creating databases for microbial strains and bioinformatic tools to enhance the selection and application of bio-concrete technologies.

Zhang, J., Deng, J., He, Y., Wu, J., Simões, M. F., Liu, B., … & Antunes, A. (2024). A review of biomineralization in healing concrete: Mechanism, biodiversity, and application. Science of The Total Environment, 170445, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170445.