Influence of unenriched and plant extract-enriched concrete pore solution on the survival and activity of ureolytic bacteria in bioconcrete

Abstract

Bioconcrete has shown promising results in the enhancement of mechanical and structural properties of construction materials. However, the survival of the incorporated bacteria in bioconcrete are not evaluated directly. There are not much studies which integrate traditional and molecular methods to analyze the survival and enzymatic activity of bacteria incorporated in this biomaterial. This study evaluated the metabolic activity of ureolytic bacterial strains in a Urea-CaCl2 medium (UM) and simulated concrete pore solution (SCPS). All strains survived 120 h in UM, nevertheless, protein content and enzymatic activities decreased by 93–98% in SCPS. Although nopal mucilage and Aloe vera enriched SCPS enhanced the bacterial survival and activity, nopal mucilage showed significant improvement. Protein profile by SDS-PAGE and q-PCR analysis, confirmed the presence and expression of ureC gene respectively. These results highlight the potential of plant-derived additives to improve the survival and metabolic activity of bacteria in bioconcrete.