Using recycled calcium sources to solidify sandy soil through microbial induced carbonate precipitation

Abstract

The use of calcium solutions is a cost-limiting factor for bio-cement production from microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP). The aim of this article is to analyse the feasibility of using recycled calcium sources to solidify sand, including oyster shells, scallop shells and eggshells, by comparing the physical and mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of solidified sand with different recycled calcium sources and chemical calcium nitrate. The results show that oyster shells have the optimal effect on MICP, with values of permeability, dry density, unconfined compressive strength and calcium carbonate precipitation of 1.12?×?10^?4 m s^?1, 2.09?g cm^?3, 1454.6?kPa and 15.28%, respectively. Strength values of bio-cemented sands made from different recycled calcium sources in this article range from 845.1 to 1454.6?kPa. According to the SEM and XRD analysis, calcium carbonates originating from the above recycled calcium sources precipitate as globular vaterite, whereas the precipitation from calcium nitrate is a cluster mixture of vaterite and calcite. Oyster shells, scallop shells and eggshells derived from kitchen waste, which is more economical and environmentally friendly than calcium nitrate, can be applied as recycled calcium solutions in MICP.     

The influence of particle morphology on microbially induced CaCO3 clogging in granular media

Abstract

Sporosarcina pasteurii (ATCC 11859) is a nitrogen-circulating bacterium capable of precipitating calcium carbonate given a calcium source and urea. This microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is able to infill inter-granular porosity and act as a biological clogging agent, thus having a wide potential application in strengthening coastal foundations, preventing erosion by seas and rivers and in reducing sand liquefaction potential in coastal areas. A successful MICP application requires the understanding of the primary parameters that influence the microbially mediated process to achieve its engineering goals, such as injection scheme, chemical concentrations, retention times, and injection rates. However, the granular morphology has generally been oversimplified to ideal shape without enough consideration in previous studies. The following explores the critical micro-scale influence of particle morphology on mechanisms of microbially induced clogging. Spherical, non-spherical and angular particles were used as granular aggregates in permeating column experiments with the resulting permeability and calcium carbonate content of the treated aggregates examined. Microscopic examination (SEM) defines the features of the distribution of microbially precipitated calcium carbonate and the forms of clogging. The results show: (1) given a fixed duration of treatment, the calcium carbonate content for the spherical particle aggregate is significantly higher than that for near-spherical and angular particle aggregates; (2) for identical durations of treatment, the maximum permeability reduction occurs for angular particles (rather than for spherical particles with the highest carbonate content). This suggests that the microscopic distribution of calcium carbonate is significantly influenced by particle morphology, exerting a critical control in the effectiveness of clogging. SEM images indicate that the microbial calcium carbonate precipitates encapsulate the spherical particles as a near-uniform shell and occlude the pore space only by increasing the shell thickness. In contrast, the near-spherical and angular particles are only partially coated by a calcium carbonate film with scattered crystals of vaterite and calcite further clogging the void space. The polyhedral nature of the non-spherical particles tends to result in a slot-shaped pore structure which critically defines the hydraulic conductivity of the ensemble medium. As the microbial vaterite and calcite continue to accumulate on the particle surface, these slot-shaped pore structures become increasingly more tortuous – resulting in a noticeable reduction of permeability at a lower calcium carbonate content.     

登陆青岛的热带气旋及其降水特征分析

利用中国台风年鉴资料、地面及探空观测资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析数据以及NERA-GOOS海温数据,首先分析了1949-2019年在青岛登陆的四个热带气旋特征,然后对1909号台风“利奇马”对山东半岛造成的降水强度差异进行对比研究.分析表明:1)1949年以来有4个台风于8月以登陆北上和登陆转向路径在青岛登陆,其在中...     

液态降水与地表气温对北极海冰开始融化时间的影响

海冰最早开始融化时间（EMO）是体现海冰融化的重要指标,也是影响海冰热收支的关键因素。本文使用EMO遥感数据、ERA5再分析资料和海冰密集度数据分析研究了地表气温和液态降水对EMO影响的相对贡献。研究显示,在5个研究海区中,大西洋扇区南区EMO提前最显著,1979− 2021年的变化率为−3.3 d/(10 a)。北极各海区的地表气温与EMO有着持续1～2个月的显著相关时段,其中太平洋扇区南区、大西洋扇区北区和南区的地表气温较液态降水与EMO相关的持续时间更长,相关性也更强;而对太平洋扇区北区和北极中央区,只有在EMO发生前的2～3周,液态降水对其EMO有着更高的贡献。对于太平洋扇区北区,大气环流提供的强水汽输送通道伸入该海区,使对流层低层饱和水汽增多,500 hPa位势高度的多年变化趋势具有三波绕极环流加强的结构,也有利于经向的热量交换,使比湿的垂向梯度进一步增加,为该海区EMO的提前起到一定的促进作用。对于北极中央区,在EMO提前的年份,液态降水较常年偏高33%,不仅气候态意义下的太平洋水汽通道的输送加强,欧亚大陆上空的水汽通道也与之汇合,促使北极东部形成气旋式水汽输送模态,为EMO的提前发生提供了有利条件。     

热带印度洋降水、蒸发的时空特征及其对海表盐度的影响

本文利用降水、蒸发等资料分析热带印度洋年降水量、蒸发量、净淡水通量的分布特征,并选取4个典型海域来分析降水量、蒸发量、净淡水通量的季节变化和年际变化。结果表明:东印度洋的苏门答腊岛西部海域年降水量最大,季节变化较小,属全年降雨型;孟加拉湾的东北部和安达曼海的北部海域年降水量较大,其年际变化以4.2 mm/a的速率增长,强降水出现在5-9月;阿拉伯海的西部海域年降水量较小;南印度洋东部（20°~30°S,80°~110°E）海域年降水量较小,年蒸发量较大,年蒸发量在2000年之前以5.1 mm/a的速率增长,之后以4.5 mm/a的速率减小。本文还采用Argo盐度等资料探讨降水、蒸发对海表盐度的影响,研究结果表明:降水量远大于蒸发量的海域,海表盐度较低;降水量远小于蒸发量的海域,海表盐度较高。表层水平环流是导致高净淡水通量中心与低盐中心并不重合的主要原因,也是导致强蒸发中心与高盐中心并不重合的主要原因。选取的4个典型海域海表盐度的季节变化与净淡水通量关系不大,而是与表层水平环流有关。孟加拉湾强降水对表层盐度的影响显著,强降水发生后表层盐度降低0.2~0.8,其影响深度为30~50 m。     

亚印太交汇区海表温度的分布和变化特征及其对中国降水的影响

利用1967-2009年的逐月海表温度(Sea Surface Temperature,SST)资料和降水资料,以及经验正交函数(Empirical Orthogonal Function,EOF)和相关分析方法,探讨了亚印太交汇区(Joining Area of Asia and Indian-Pacific Oce...