Advances in microbially induced carbonate precipitation metabolic pathways and regulatory mechanisms for bioconcrete development

Abstract

Bioconcrete is a sustainable building material by incorporating microorganisms to enable self-healing through microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP). While ureolytic pathway remains the most extensively applied mechanism for MICP, other pathways such as denitrification, photosynthesis, ammonification of amino acids, dissimilatory sulfate reduction and methane oxidation are gaining attention. However, the limited understanding of the regulatory mechanisms implied in MICP is an obstacle to the development of high performance bioconcrete. This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbial metabolic pathways associated with MICP, emphasizing the genetic regulation of enzymes, proteins and regulatory factors involved. Key biological factors influencing MICP including nucleation sites, cell wall properties and extracellular polymeric substances are analyzed. Furthermore, the review explores future research directions, such as the development of synthetic microbial consortia, advances in microencapsulation for bacterial spores and artificial intelligence-based prediction models to enhance bioconcrete applications.