A Review on the Bioremediation of Heavy Metals by Microbial Induced Carbonate Precipitation

Microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a biological process in which ureolytic microorganismspromote calcite precipitation. Several studies have reported MICP as a promising technology in such applications as soilconsolidation, CO۲ sequestration, and biocementation. MICP also has been proposed as an eco-friendly bioremediationmethod to immobilize heavy metals and reduce their bioavailability. Heavy metals are seriously toxic to humans andother living organisms. The presence of high concentration heavy metals in soils and wastewaters is originated fromindustrialization and the growth of activities such as mining and tanning. Iran, with about one percent of the world’spopulation, holds more than seven percent of the world’s mineral reserves. Regarding the existence of numerous zincand copper mines in Iran, the issue of heavy-metal-contaminated sites is a significant concern in this country. Thispaper is a review of the MICP process, the recent studies about utilizing microorganisms with urease activity to removeheavy metals through precipitation, and their efficiency.

Keywords:

Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) , Heavy metals , Bioremediation