Recent Developments on Biomineralization for Erosion Control

Abstract

Erosion poses significant threats to infrastructures and ecosystems, exacerbated by climate change-driven sea-level rise and intensified wave actions. Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a promising, sustainable, and eco-friendly solution for erosion mitigation. This review synthesizes recent advancements in optimizing biomineralization efficiency, multi-scale erosion control, and field-scale MICP implementations in marine dynamic conditions. Key findings include the following: (1) Kinetic analysis of Ca2+ conversion confirmed complete ion utilization within 24 h under optimized PA concentration (3%), resulting in a compressive strength of 2.76 MPa after five treatment cycles in ISO-standard sand. (2) Field validations in Ahoskie and Sanya demonstrated the efficacy of MICP in coastal erosion control through tailored delivery systems and environmental adaptations. Sanya’s studies highlighted seawater-compatible MICP solutions, achieving maximum 1743 kPa penetration resistance in the atmospheric zone and layered “M-shaped” CaCO3 precipitation in tidal regions. (3) Experimental studies revealed that MICP treatments (2–4 cycles) reduced maximum scour depth by 84–100% under unidirectional currents (0.3 m/s) with the maximum surface CaCO3 content reaching 3.8%. (4) Numerical simulations revealed MICP enhanced seabed stability by increasing vertical effective stress and reducing pore pressure. Comparative analysis demonstrates that while the destabilization depth of untreated seabed exhibits a linear correlation with wave height increments, MICP-treated seabed formations maintain exceptional stability through cohesion-enhancing properties, even when subjected to progressively intensified wave forces. This review supports the use of biomineralization as a sustainable alternative for shoreline protection, seabed stabilization, and offshore foundation integrity.