Bacterial Carbonate Research Articles

Toward Self-Healing Coatings: Bacterial Survival and Calcium Carbonate Precipitation in Acrylic and Styrene–Acrylic Model Paint Films

Engineered living materials (ELMs) incorporate living material to provide a gain of function over existing materials, such as self-repair. The use of bacteria in ELMs has been studied extensively in concrete, where repair can be facilitated by bacterial ureolytic calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation; however, the study of bacteria in other construction materials is limited. We examined the ability of bacterial species to survive in common latex binder chemistries, a model paint formulation, and through the film-forming process. The longest survival was by bacterial spores of Bacillus simplex str. GGC-P6A, which survive in latex emulsions, a liquid coating composition, and in a dried film for >28 days. Surprisingly, our data show that non-spore-forming Escherichia coli survive at least 15 days in liquid composition, which appear to be influenced by the composition of the outer membrane, nutrient scavenging, and the ability to metabolize toxic acrylate. Spores of GGC-P6A were shown to grow in solid paint films from sites of damage, resulting in crack filling through carbonate precipitation, demonstrating the potential for self-repair through microbially mediated CaCO3 precipitation without directed pH modification. These data suggest that a range of bacterial species, in particular members of Bacilli, may facilitate new applications of bio-augmented, self-healing coating systems.

New cold seep sites on the continental slope southwest to Svalbard

We discovered seafloor features such as bacterial mats and carbonate crusts typical for active methane seeps on the continental slope southwest of Svalbard. These features are associated with two main northwest-southeast trending morphological structures that are oriented parallel to the regional continental slope. Both structures occur at c. 800 m water depth, at the boundary between the Storfjorden trough mouth fan to the south and the Hornsund trough mouth fan to the north, which suggests a loading related fluid seepage. The main structure displays depressions and ridges forming a crater in its center. Other occurring features include small sediment mounds, domes often covered by bacterial mats, and hummocky seafloor colonized by siboglinid tubeworms. Free gas bubbles were spotted close to the centre and plumes along the rims of the structure. Thick carbonate crusts indicate a long seepage history in the center of the structure and on top of the ridges. The sources of the seeps are likely to be Miocene old organic-rich deposits, or Paleocene hydrocarbon reservoirs.

An Experimental Investigation on Self-Healing Concrete Made of Bacteria with Varying Doses

Abstract: The employment of carbonate-producing bacteria as a new approach to enhance the qualities of concrete has attracted a lot of interest since it is thought to be innocuous to theenvironment, natural, and maybe advantageous. This is a result of the favorable implications attached to these traits. The use of microbially induced carbonate precipitation as a remedy for several problems affecting concrete, such as fracture healing, reduction and change of porosity and permeability, and more, has been the subject of much investigation. Concrete crack healing is one of the topics that have been researched. Additionally, it has been shown that the procedure of bacterial carbonate precipitation, also known as bio deposition, contributes to the development of concrete's compressive strength. There has not yet been a thorough investigation of the research relating to the appropriate bacterial solution dose and its effect on concrete durability. This might occur as a result of the project not receiving enough time to complete it. As a result, it has been decided that an investigation will be conducted in order to determine the proper quantities of bacterial solution required for concrete. To do this, several concrete cube samples will be made using varying amounts of bacterial solution, such as 15 ml, 30 ml, 45 ml, 60 ml, and 75 ml, respectively. These quantities will be added to the appropriate moulds. This will allow you to determine the proper dosage of the bacterial solution to employ. In order to determine the optimal dosage that should be used, these various samples are also put through a battery of tests using a variety of laboratory techniques, such as the properties of materials, slump cone test, a compressive strength testing machine, an ultrasonic pulse velocity test, plate count cells, and scanning electron microscopes, Rapid Chloride Penetration Test (RCPT), Acid attack test.

Depth-dependent self-healing capacity and mechanism of cracked fiber-reinforced concrete by bacterial community

The utilization of bacteria to facilitate the healing of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) has been an interesting approach. However, the commonly used microorganism has been the Bacillus strain, effective in forming bacterial calcium carbonate well at crack top surface but is less favorable for deep-crack healing due to its aerobic nature. In this study, a novel method was introduced that incorporated bacterial community to enhance the self-healing behavior along the depth, breaking away from the traditional single bacteria pattern. The depth-dependent healing ratio of for tire polymer (TP) fiber reinforced ECC using bacterial community (i.e., multiple strains mainly including 15 types of bacteria) was investigated. Healing behaviour was comprehensively evaluated in terms of crack-depth healing, water absorption ratio, and axial strength recovery. Micro-quantitative and macro-quantitative analysis of bacterial products at different depths and the entire crack were conducted through mapping and thermogravimetry. The results revealed the self-healing mechanisms and superiority of the TP-ECC with the bacterial community. Along the crack depth, the healing behaviour of TP-ECC incorporating bacterial community was superior to that of the traditional single bacteria approach. Bacterial communities had an advantage in axial tensile strength recovery compared to single bacteria. It was proved to be technically feasible to enhance self-healing capacity of the TP-ECC when incorporating a bacterial community.

Bacterial Viability in Self-Healing Concrete: A Case Study of Non-Ureolytic Bacillus Species.

Cracking is an inevitable feature of concrete, typically leading to corrosion of the embedded steel reinforcement and massive deterioration because of the freezing-thawing cycles. Different means have been proposed to increase the serviceability performance of cracked concrete structures. This case study deals with bacteria encapsulated in cementitious materials to "heal" cracks. Such a biological self-healing system requires preserving the bacteria's viability in the cement matrix. Many embedded bacterial spores are damaged during concrete curing, drastically reducing efficiency. This study investigates the viability of commonly used non-ureolytic bacterial spores when immobilized in calcium alginate microcapsules within self-healing cementitious composites. Three Bacillus species were used in this study, i.e., B. pseudofirmus, B. cohnii, and B. halodurans. B. pseudofirmus demonstrated the best mineralization activity; a sufficient number of bacterial spores remained viable after the encapsulation. B. pseudofirmus and B. halodurans spores retained the highest viability after incorporating the microcapsules into the cement paste, while B. halodurans spores retained the highest viability in the mortar. Cracks with a width of about 0.13 mm were filled with bacterial calcium carbonate within 14 to 28 days, depending on the type of bacteria. Larger cracks were not healed entirely. B. pseudofirmus had the highest efficiency, with a healing coefficient of 0.497 after 56 days. This study also revealed the essential role of the cement hydration temperature on bacterial viability. Thus, further studies should optimize the content of bacteria and nutrients in the microcapsule structure.

The experimental performance of durability and strength to repair for micro cracks in a self-healing bacterial concrete

Carbonate-producing bacteria have sparked a lot of attention as a promising, natural, and environmentally friendly new method for improving concrete properties. Using microbial-induced carbonate precipitation to ameliorate many concrete difficulties, such as fissure repair, reduction and change of porosity and permeability, has received a lot of attention. Furthermore, bacterial carbonate precipitation (bio deposition) has been proven to improve concrete's compressive strength. Meanwhile, it appears that the study of the appropriate dosage of bacterial solution and its influence on concrete durability has been thoroughly examined. As a result, it was determined to conduct research into finding the ideal doses of bacterial solution necessary for concrete by making several concrete cube samples with different bacterial solution concentrations, such as 20 ml, 40 ml, 60 ml, 80 ml and 100 ml. Furthermore, these varied samples are examined using a variety of laboratory procedures, including the slump cone test, compressive strength test, Ultrasonic pulse velocity, platelets, Acid attack test. To determine the best dose. Bacterial concrete has been found to be superior to conventional concrete in every facet of durability. Among the several specimens used, it was discovered that bacterial concrete containing 60 ml solution is the best dosage, with the strength being stable or decreasing after that.

Preliminary indication of the role of AHL-dependent quorum sensing systems in calcium carbonate precipitation in Gram-negative bacteria.

Numerous microbial species participate in precipitation of carbonates in various natural environments, including soils, geological formations, freshwater biofilms and oceans. Despite the geochemical interest of such a biomineralization process, its molecular mechanisms and adaptive aspects remain poorly known. Many Gram-negative bacteria use cell-to-cell communication systems relying on N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHLs) signal molecules to express certain phenotypic traits in a density-dependent manner, a phenomenon referred as to quorum-sensing (QS). In this work, bacterial isolates collected from cave and rhizosphere soil were analyzed to study the occurrence of the AHL-mediated QS in bacterial calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation. To test the production of AHLs signal molecules, we cross-streaked Gram-negative calcifying strains, selected among the environmental strains studied, with the AHL-negative mutant Chromobacterium subtsugae strain CV026. Only Burkholderia ambifaria LMG 11351 was able to restore violacein production in CV026 among the tested strains. The constructed AHL-negative mutant of B. ambifaria LMG 11351 could not precipitate CaCO3 on B-4 agar. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis on CaCO3 crystals obtained in vitro shows crystals of different morphologies, calcified biofilms and bacteria in close contact with the precipitated crystals. In the inner layers of the bioliths deposited by B. ambifaria LMG 11351, a stream-like organization of the Burkholderia imprints was not detected by SEM. Our data provide preliminary evidence that the activation of AHL-regulated genes may be a prerequisite for in vitro bacterial carbonatogenesis, in some cases, confirming the specific role of bacteria as CaCO3 precipitating agents. We enhance the understanding of bacterial CaCO3 biomineralization and its potential biotechnology implications for QS-based strategies to enhance or decrease CaCO3 precipitation through specific bacterial processes. The AHL-negative mutant of B. ambifaria LMG 11351 (a well-known plant growth-promoting bacterium) could also be used to study plant-bacteria interactions. The adaptive role of bacterial CaCO3 biomineralization was also discussed.

Effect of Bacterial Carbonate Precipitation on the Durability of Concrete Specimens Exposed to High Temperatures

Effect of Bacterial Carbonate Precipitation on the Durability of Concrete Specimens Exposed to High Temperatures

Correlation tests between relative light unit and colony forming unit for improving adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence analysis in bacterial consolidation treatments on palaeontological heritage.

In this article bacterial carbonate mineralization treatments are proposed as a novel strategy for decayed fossils and palaeontological heritage conservation; specifically, by means of inoculation of Myxococcus xanthus, a bacterium of proven effectiveness in ornamental stone bioconsolidation. Bioconsolidation treatments can be very effective, stable, nontoxic, environmentally friendly, and chemically compatible with fossil heritage. The method reproduces what nature has been doing for millennia with fossils that have been permineralized by bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation. There is, however, some concern that bacterial inoculation could lead to the growth of undesirable microbiota, which could subsequently damage the fossil substrate. Because of this, the use of bacteria on heritage items must be meticulously monitored and analysis strategies should be carried out to detect bacteria viability during and after treatments. For this purpose, adenosine triphosphate assay is proposed in this article as a fast, affordable, portable, and easy-to-use system for conservators. as ATP assay results are relative and difficult to relate to colony forming unit, this study aims to improve their applicability by examining the correlation between ATP analysis and total viable bacteria count in the specific case of M. xanthus. This research provides reference and correlatable data to obtain an approximate estimation of M. xanthus viable bacterial colonies based on relative light unit data.

Integrated application of bacterial carbonate precipitation and silicon nanoparticles enhances productivity, physiological attributes, and antioxidant defenses of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under semi-arid conditions.

The use of calcium carbonate-precipitating bacteria (CCPB) has become a well-established ground-improvement technique. However, the effect of the interaction of CCPB with nanoparticles (NPs) on plant performance is still meager. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the role of CCPB and/or silicon NPs (Si-NPs) on the growth, physio-biochemical traits, and antioxidative defense of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under semi-arid environmental conditions. A 2-year pot experiment was carried out to determine the improvement of the sandy soil inoculated with CCPB and the foliar application of Si-NPs on wheat plants. We tested the following treatments: spraying plants with 1.0 or 1.5 mM Si-NPs (control = 0 mM Si-NPs), soil inoculated with Bacillus lichenforms (MA16), Bacillus megaterium (MA27), or Bacillus subtilis (MA34), and the interaction of individual Bacillus species with Si-NPs. Our results showed that soil inoculation with any of the three isolated CCPB and/or foliar application of Si-NPs at the rates of 1.0 or 1.5 mM significantly improved (p ≤ 0.05) the physiological and biochemical attributes as well as the enzymatic antioxidant activities of wheat plants. Therefore, the combined treatments of CCPB + Si-NPs were more effective in enhancing physio-biochemical characteristics and enzymatic antioxidant activities than the individual treatments of CCPB or Si-NPs, thus achieving the best performance in the treatment of MA34 + 1.5 mM Si-NPs. Our results demonstrated that the co-application of CCPB and Si-NPs, particularly MA34 + 1.5 mM Si-NPs, considerably activated the antioxidant defense system to mitigate the adverse effects of oxidative stress, thus increasing tolerance and enhancing the production of wheat plants in sandy soils under semi-arid environmental conditions.

Bacterial Carbonate Precipitation Using Active Metabolic Pathway to Repair Mortar Cracks.

A study was conducted to check the efficacy of microbial pathways for calcite precipitation to heal pre-existing cracks in mortar. In this experiment, realistic cracks of varying widths were induced on a mortar sample. Different repair methods were applied to a total of 22 mortar samples. Twelve cracked mortar samples with average crack widths ranging from 0.29 to 1.08 mm were subjected to biodeposition treatment using calcium lactate as a food source. The remaining ten samples were split into two groups: five cracked mortar samples were exclusively exposed to the bacterial solution, while the remaining five samples were immersed in distilled water. Digital image processing was used to extract the crack characteristics before and after the repair application. During several repair cycles, image processing was used to track healing. Further, these repaired mortar samples underwent examination for water permeability, ultra-sonic examination, and examination for recovered compressive strength. A forensic examination of the healing product in terms of morphology and elemental composition was conducted using RAMAN, XRD, SEM-EDS, and TGA. The water permeability of the repaired mortar sample using biodeposition with Ca-lactate was dramatically reduced, but samples treated with bacterial solution and distilled water did not exhibit any significant reduction. Complete crack healing was observed when using Ca-lactate as a food source for microbial repair. The forensic analysis confirmed the presence of calcite in healing precipitates

Thermoluminescence studies of calcite conducted by bacterial CaCO3 precipitation in organic soil

In this study, the thermoluminescence (TL) properties of the calcite conducted by bacterial calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation (BCCP) in organic soils were investigated. The bacterial calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation (BCCP) is a popular technique and has been applied in a variety of civil and geotechnical engineering applications. For example, bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation fills the gaps on the organic ground and makes cementing it with the biological method using bacteria. The study reveals that the calcium carbonate mineral called as calcite has a clear TL glow curve with four main peaks located around 90, 140, 210 and 240 °C, a wide linear dose response region between 140Gy and 2.3 kGy is observed. In addition, a good reusability is seen in the high temperature peaks. The TL glow curve peaks are not affected by reusability. Although the dosimetric peaks at 210 and 240 °C appear to be nearly constant, the TL peak intensities at 90 °C and 140 °C completely faded after 24 and 336 h storage time, respectively. The activation energies (Ea) and frequency factors (s) for peaks at 90 °C, 140 °C, 210 °C and 240 °C were evaluated via variable heating rate (VHR). The activation energy of the peaks in the TL glow curve is lying between 0.57eV and 1.04 eV.

Hydrothermal-bacterial structures with a brachiopod fauna on the surface of Tessel paleovolcano (South coast of Crimea)

Research subject. For the first time, the results of a study of hydrothermal-bacterial carbonate structures and a shell bank of brachiopods on the surface of the effusive sequence of the Late Triassic Tessel paleovolcano are presented. Methods. Petrographic thin sections were studied using an Olympus BX 5 microscope with an Olympus DP 12 camera. Geochemical investigations were performed according to the conventional methodology by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The isotopic composition of carbon was determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) by a Deltaplus Advantage instrument. The mass spectrometer was paired with an EA Flash1112 analyzer and a TC/EA convector. When measuring, the NBS-19, NBS-18, and IAEA-C-3 standards were used. Results. The data obtained on the geology, geochemistry, and isotopic composition of the studied materials confirm the existence of a symbiosis between brachiopods and protozoa. The primary formation of organic matter and carbonate of bacterial structures occurred due to the processing of paleofluids by the community of bacteria and archaea. These organisms created carbonate, sulfide and organic matter in a suboxide environment of hydrogen sulfide and methane. The biocenosis of the shell bank of brachiopods was characterized by a poor taxonomic composition and a high biological productivity. The formation of a shell bank of brachiopods with bacterial carbonate edifices took place during the period of volcanic activity and continued during breaks in eruptions. The results of geochemistry and the carbon isotopic composition of the carbonate of bacterial buildups confirm the deep nature of the paleofluids. The Norian age of paleovolcanism was determined from finds on the surface of the terrigenous- volcanic sequence of brachiopods Worobiella ex gr. caucasica Dagys and ammonite Megaphyllites insectus (Mojsisovics). Conclusions. According to geological features, the material of the shell bank of brachiopods with bacterial carbonate structures on the surface of the Tessel paleovolcano belongs to the ancient hydrocarbon seeps-carbonate. Based on their genesis and formation material, these formations should be referred to as Triassic methanoliths. Signs of allocation of similar formations in other time intervals and regions are given. Emissions of fluids with hydrogen sulfide and methane by the Tessel paleovolcano in the Late Triassic may have been related to the causes of the “global extinction”.

Techniques for Quantifying Bacterially Induced Carbonate Mineralization in Escherichia coli

The lack of reliable techniques to accurately quantify bacterial carbonate production and a tractable genetic system limits our ability to thoroughly understand the metabolic basis for bacterial calcification. In this work, we demonstrate bacterially induced CaCO3 precipitation in the model organism, Escherichia coli K-12, and develop new quantitative methods for carbonate mineral production using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and an image analysis approach repurposed for agar cultures. These assays allowed us to assess the impact of various calcium sources and environmental factors on crystalline CaCO3 formation in E. coli. Our data demonstrate that Ca-acetate and Ca-succinate yield the greatest CaCO3 output in E. coli, while a preliminary study demonstrated microclimatic influences on crystal growth and size. This work helps lay the foundation for using E. coli as a model bacterial species to probe the genetic elements that promote calcification in Bacteria, with the potential to identify previously undescribed pathways for precipitation.

Bio-Mediated Method for Immobilizing Copper Tailings Sand Contaminated with Multiple Heavy Metals

Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a natural bio-mediated process that has been investigated for soil stabilization and heavy metal immobilization in soil and groundwater. This study analyzed the effect and mechanism of MICP for the solidification/stabilization of tailings sand with multi-heavy metals. When the concentration of cementation solution (CS) is 1.0 mol/L and the optical density(OD600) is 1.6, the unconfined compressive strength of tailings sand treated by MICP is the largest, and the solidification efficiency of heavy metals in tailings sand is also the highest. The macroscopic and microscopic observations reveal that the mechanism of MICP solidification of tailings is bacterial outer oxide, hydroxide, alkaline carbonate, and carbonate precipitation.

Applications of BCCP technology on civil engineering – A review

The Bacterial Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (BCCP) technology is a new eco-friendly approach mainly applied for enhancing the properties of building materials (esp. concrete, cement mortar and soil). In this paper, the existing researches related to application of BCCP technology in soil, concrete and cement mortar and their responses were reviewed. The study begins with the note on BCCP method by explaining its general procedure and mechanisms in material stabilization followed by a detailed survey on its effects when applied in building materials like soil, concrete and mortar. Most of the researches prove that this technique have the potential to improve the properties of concrete, cement mortar and soil, by slightly altering the ingredients. In concrete and cement mortar the properties like compressive strength, crack healing capacity, water absorption and durability are studied whereas in soil, shear strength, Unconfined compressive strength (UCS), Split tensile strength (STS), ductility, permeability, viscosity and brittleness are studied. It is stated that this process reduces the toxicity of soil. This work shows that the properties of concrete, mortar and soil mentioned above were enhanced by varying the type and concentration of both cementing materials and bacteria based on the purpose for which the material is used.

Seismic interpretation, reservoir characterization, gas origin and entrapment of the Miocene-Pliocene Mangaa C sandstone, Karewa Gas Field, North Taranaki Basin, New Zealand

The Karewa gas discovery highlighted the potential for commercial gas accumulations in the shallow Miocene-Pliocene stratigraphic horizons, thus changing the exploration strategy in Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. The gas origin, its entrapment mechanism, and the petrophysical characteristics of the Miocene-Pliocene Mangaa C sandstone reservoir have been evaluated. Organic geochemical analyses of Mangaa and Giant Foresets shales bounding the sandstone reservoir point to their immaturity (Tmax< 426 °C) and poor capability for thermogenic hydrocarbon generation. Karewa gas displays an isotopic pattern of δ13C1 ≫ δ13C3 > δ13C2 reflecting its biogenic origin with no signs of thermogenic input. Additionally, the depleted δ13C1 (of range −61.32% to −61.02%) and δDC1 values (of range −183.5% to −182.3%) support its microbial origin likely by bacterial carbonate reduction and degradation of the organically-bound CO2 to form methane. Shales of the Giant Foresets and Mangaa formations contain, and therefore contain abundant organically-bound CO2.Karewa prospect as a roll-over structure bounded by listric faults forming a four-way dip closure. These faults are the gas migration paths from Mangaa and Giant Forests shales to the Mangaa C sandstone reservoir. Excellent petrophysical reservoir characteristics of Mangaa C sandstone (visual porosity av. 20.7%, helium porosity from core av. 30.2%, shale volume av. 6.4%, and water saturation av. 34.5%) prompted its gas potential with high hydrocarbon saturation (av. 65.5%). Mild mechanical compaction and low content of authigenic mineral phases aided in the preservation of the primary intergranular porosity. Seal capacity analysis of the Mangaa C system confirmed the efficiency of the overlying mudstones to seal a thick gas column (up to 150 m) with a minimal risk of leakage.

Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing Stabilization of Clay Soils Using Bacterial Calcium Carbonate Precipitation

Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing Stabilization of Clay Soils Using Bacterial Calcium Carbonate Precipitation

Bacterial and abiogenic carbonates formed in caves-no vital effect on clumped isotope compositions.

Speleothems (dominated by cave-hosted carbonate deposits) are valuable archives of paleoclimate conditions. As such, they are potential targets of clumped isotope analyses that may yield quantified data about past temperature variations. Clumped isotope analyses of stalagmites, however, seldom provide useful temperature values due to various isotope fractionation processes. This study focuses on the determination of the microbially induced vital effect, i.e., the isotope fractionation processes related to bacterial carbonate production. A cave site with biologically mediated amorphous calcium carbonate precitation was selected as a natural laboratory. Calcite deposits were farmed under a UV lamp to prevent bacterial activity, as well as under control conditions. Microbiological analyses and morphological investigations using scanning electron microscopy showed that the UV lamp treatment effectively reduced the number of bacterial cells, and that bacterial carbonate production strongly influenced the carbonate’s morphology. Stable oxygen isotope analyses of calcite and drip waters, as well as clumped isotope measurements revealed that, although most of the studied carbonates formed close to oxygen isotope equilibrium, clumped isotope Δ47 values varied widely from equilibrium to strongly fractionated data. Site-specific kinetic fractionations played a dominant role in the distribution of Δ47 values, whereas bacterial carbonate production did not result in a detectable clumped isotope effect.

Bacterial mineralization of calcium carbonate for conservation of stone artworks

Calcareous stones have been widely used as artwork and building materials by human civilizations, especially in the Mediterranean Basin. Calcareous stone deterioration is a consequence of the weathering action of physical, chemical and biological factors, which causes a progressive dissolution of the mineral matrix and an increase in porosity, resulting in the weakening of the structure. Recently, increased environmental pollution and global warming are threatening stone cultural heritage more than ever. Inorganic or organic products have been using to slow down monument deterioration, but their use presents several drawbacks. Bacterial Calcium Carbonate Mineralization is a natural process widespread among bacteria and occurring in different environments. In the last decades it has been proposed as a new and environmentally friendly tool in conservation of monumental and ornamental calcareous stones. The aim is to develop a bacteria-mediated mineralization treatment providing a coherent calcium carbonate layer on the surface of deteriorated stone, able to protect it against the intake of water and chemicals and to consolidate the inner weakening structure. The advantage is to obtain a mineral product similar to the calcareous stone substrate, mimicking the natural process responsible for stone formation. This review introduces the mechanisms of bacterial mineralization and describes the current strategies based on this process to promote stone reinforcement in field tests. They include applications of selected bacterial strains and/or culture media as well as selected components of bacterial cells on stone. The review finally provides perspectives based on recent advances.