General presentation

The cement industry is one of the largest producers of carbon dioxide, energy consumption with a major negative impact on landfill. The fabrication of materials from living organisms (bacteria, fungi, and algae) could represent a significant domain of biotechnological investigation, with consequence in reducing the negative impact of concrete industry over environment. Microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation is a biogeochemical process occurred in natural appropriate conditions, which could be incorporate into a technology with beneficial effects on remediation of cement fractures and cracks, improving the durability and reducing the costs with replacement of damaged construction materials. It is considered that the process is of particular interest to both engineers and scientists for its prospective commercial usefulness. Hence, the characteristics of concrete embedded with bacterial cells, especially longevity, would have double benefits, reducing the process costs and minimize the impact on environment of these wastes. This approach represents an interdisciplinary connection between biotechnology, engineering, and geo-technology.

The project scope is to obtain an innovative bioproduct, used to deliver bacteria to concrete matrix, in order to produce sustainable building materials with enhanced durability. The concrete cracking is a phenomenon that originates from its brittle nature and the durability is affected and sometimes the integrity of structure can be put in danger.

The degree of project novelty consists in the use of by-products from agro-industry as adjuvants to sustain the bacterial cells survival in mixtures for building materials.

Our proposal starts at TRL2, by formulating the technology concept – to obtain an innovative bacterial bioproduct as bacterial cells formulated with agro-industrial by-products, and the application – by incorporating the bacterial bioproduct in mixtures for construction materials in order to improve their durability. Preliminary data obtained in previous experiments carried out together by partners will represent the project beginning as TRL2, and the researches will be continued through the frame work of present proposal. The specific objectives envisaged: to optimize the bio precipitation of calcium carbonate at selected strain; to improve the bacterial cells survival in mixtures by adding agro-industrial by-products; to obtain the improvement of construction materials; to test and validate the material improvement on laboratory level, through elaborated technology.

The outcomes of the project are:

1) suitable microbial strains with enhanced ability to precipitate calcium carbonate on an optimized medium based on cheap and available alternative sources of nutrients;

2) bacterial bioproduct – bacterial cells formulated with agro-industrial by-products;

3) innovative construction materials with enhanced durability by incorporating bacterial bioproduct in the matrix;

4) laboratory technology for the preparation of innovative building materials incorporating the bacterial bioproduct.

The project is highly feasible due to significant expertise of INCDCP-ICECHIM and CEPROCIM SA. INCDCP-ICECHIM (coordinator) is specialized in the obtainment of microbial bioproducts, results being presented to scientific community through national and European patent applications and published papers. Meanwhile, CEPROCIM SA has demonstrated the capacity to prepare composite materials based on cement with different additions, environmentally friendly products obtained from renewable raw materials. Also, the teams have carried out some preliminary experiments and the obtained promising results will be continued through the frame work of present proposal.

Dissemination

Papers published in ISI journals

1.    Iuliana Răut¹, Mariana Călin¹, Zina Vuluga^1*, Florin Oancea¹, Jenica Paceagiu², Nicoleta Radu¹, Mihaela Doni¹, Elvira Alexandrescu¹, Violeta Purcar¹, Ana Maria Gurban¹, Ionela Petre², Luiza Jecu^{1* 1}INCDCP-ICECHIM; ²CEPROCIM SA; (*corresponding author), Fungal Based Biopolymer Composites for Construction Materials, Materials, 2021, 14, 2906. doi.org/10.3390/ma14112906 (IF=3.057).

2.    Mariana Constantin (Calin), Iuliana Raut, Ana Maria Gurban, Mihaela Doni, Nicoleta Radu, Elvira Alexandrescu, Luiza Jecu*, Exploring the potential applications of Paecilomyces lilacinus 112, Applied Sciences, 2022, 12, 7572. doi.org/10.3390/app12157572 (IF=2.838/2021).

3.    Iuliana Raut, Mariana Constantin (Calin), Ionela Petre, Nicoleta Radu, Monica Raduly, Ana Maria Gurban, Mihaela Doni, Elvira Alexandrescu, Cristi-Andi Nicolae, Luiza Jecu Highlighting bacteria with calcifying abilities suitable to improve mortar properties”, Materials 2022, 15(20), 7259; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15207259 . (FI=3.748).

Participation at International Conference

1.    Iuliana Răut, Mariana Călin, Ana-Maria Gurban, Mihaela Doni, Gelu Vasilescu, Elvira Alexandrescu, Nicoleta Radu, Luiza Jecu*, 2021, Screening of bacterial strains active in microbial induced carbonate precipitation through ureolytic pathway, International Conference of the University of Agronomic Science and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest « Agriculture for Life, Life for Agriculture, June 3-5, 2021, Bucharest.

2.    M Călin¹, I Răut¹, L Capra¹, E Alexandrescu¹, C Ninciuleanu¹, M Raduly¹, AM Gurban¹, M Doni¹, I Petre², N Radu¹, L Jecu^1* (¹INCDCP-ICECHIM; ²CEPROCIM SA; (*-corresponding author), Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) using Bacillus species, International Conference CONSILOX, XVIIIth ed., October 1-3, 2021, Alba Iulia.

3.    I Petre¹, L Jecu², A Moanta, C Munteanu¹, I Mohanu¹, I Răut², M Constantin (Calin)², N Cirstea¹, (¹CEPROCIM SA; ²INCDCP-ICECHIM), The effect of calcium carbonate precipitation on the physical-mechanical properties of mortars, International Conference CONSILOX, XVIIIth ed., October 1-3, 2021, Alba Iulia.

4.    I Răut¹, M Constantin¹, E Alexandrescu¹, C Ninciuleanu¹, M Raduly¹, AM Gurban¹, M Doni¹, I Petre², CA Nicolae¹, N Radu^1,3, G Vasilescu, L Jecu^1*, (¹INCDCP-ICECHIM; ²CEPROCIM SA; (*-corresponding author), Use of bacterial carbonatogenesis for construction materials, International Symposium PRIOCHEM XVII^th, October 27-29, 2021, Bucharest.

5.    Iuliana Răut, Mariana Constantin, Ana-Maria Gurban, Mihaela Doni, Gelu Vasilescu, Nicoleta Radu, Luiza Jecu, Enhancement of Bacillus subtilis sporulation by culture medium containing agro-industrial by-products, International Conference of the University of Agronomic Science and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest « Agriculture for Life, Life for Agriculture, 2-4 June 2022, Bucharest, Romania.

6.    Andreea Afilipoaei, George Mihail Teodorescu, Luiza Jecu, Iuliana Raut, Mariana Constantin, Florin Oancea, Zina Vuluga, Mechanical strength of biomaterial plates based on Ganoderma mycelium, Workshop-ul exploratoriu NeXT-Chem ‘INNOVATIVE TRANS-SECTORAL TECHNOLOGIES, 4^th Ed., 19-20 May 2022, Bucharest, Romania, Event approved EuChemS, European Chemical Society.

7.    Cristina Firincă, Mariana Constantin, Iuliana Răut, Ana Maria Gurban, Nicoleta Radu, Lucian Gabriel Zamfir, Luiza Jecu, Biomineralization potential of ureolytic fungi for biogenic concrete repair, Workshop NeXT-Chem ‘INNOVATIVE CROSS-SECTORAL TECHNOLOGIES’, 4^th Ed., 19-20 May 2022, Bucharest, Romania, (oral communication) Event approved EuChemS, European Chemical Society. Book of Abstracts, pg. 31, ISSN: 2821 – 6784, ISSN-L: 2821 – 6784. Book of Abstracts, pg. 31, ISSN: 2821 – 6784, ISSN-L: 2821 – 6784.

8.    Andreea Afilipoaei, George Mihail Teodorescu, Luiza Jecu, Iuliana Răut, Mariana Constantin, Florin Oancea, Zina Vuluga, Mechanical strength of biomaterial plates based on Ganoderma mycelium, Workshop NeXT-Chem ‘TEHNOLOGII INOVATOARE TRANS-SECTORIALE’, Ed a IV-a, 19-20 May 2022, Bucuresti (oral communication), Workshop NeXT-Chem ‘INNOVATIVE CROSS-SECTORAL TECHNOLOGIES’, 4^th Ed., 19-20 May 2022, Bucharest, Romania, Event approved EuChemS, European Chemical Society. Book of Abstracts, pg. 38, ISSN: 2821 – 6784, ISSN-L: 2821 – 6784. Innovation Award.

9.    Iuliana Raut, Ionela Petre, Mariana Constantin, Gelu Vasilescu, Nicoleta Radu, Ana Maria Gurban, Mihaela Doni, Adriana Moanta, Jenica Paceagiu, Elvira Alexandrescu, Cristina Firinca, Luiza Jecu, Biotechnological strategies for innovative construction materials incorporating bacterial bioproduct, EUROINVENT, 14^th European Exhibition of Creativity and Innovation Iasi, Romania, 26-28 May 2022, organized under the patronage of Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitization. Diploma of Excellence awarded by International Jury, coordinated by prof. Dr. Ing. Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah from University Malaysia Perlis (Malaysia). Special Award awarded by the University of Agronomic Science and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest.

9.    I Raut ¹,[Ma1]  M Constantin ¹, I Petre ², E Alexandrescu ¹, M Raduly ¹, AM Gurban ¹, M Doni ¹, CA Nicolae ¹, N Radu ¹, G Vasilescu ¹, L Jecu ¹, Effect of incorporating an ureolytic bacterium on the properties of mortars (¹INCDCP-ICECHIM; ²CEPROCIM SA), International Symposium PRIOCHEM XVIII^th, Bucharest, 26-28 October 2022.

Patent application

1. N. Radu, M. Constantin, I. Raut, G. Vasilescu Panea, A.M. Gurban, M. Doni, L. Jecu, Composition of culture medium for sporulation, Patent application A/00663/05.11.2021.

2. Ionela Petre, Adriana Moanta, Ileana Mohanu, Jenica Paceagiu, Cement mortar added with bacterial sporal suspension, Patent application A/00568/19.09.2022.