Utilizing Poly Glutamic Acid for Enhancement of Sporosarcina Pasteurii Induced Biocementation

Biocementation is a process that utilizes microorganisms to bind soil particles together, leading to the formation of a more stable and cohesive soil structure through a cement-like matrix. <i>Sporosarcina pasteurii</i> is a bacterium we use for our cementation at the Air Force Research Laboratory. S. pasteurii has the ability to produce calcium carbonate, which helps to bind the particles together, resulting in increased strength and stability. The use of biocementation has several advantages over traditional stabilization methods, including reduced energy and material inputs, improved sustainability, and increased durability. This works demonstrates that poly glutamic acid can be added to the biocementation solution to facilitate an increase in precipitation of calcium carbonate. This increase leads to more stable sand columns and will allow us to decrease the amount of urea and calcium that is used in the biocementation solution, further decreasing the material inputs of biocemented structures.