SBIR Phase I: Efficacy of scaled up optimized urease producing microorganisms for manufacturing biocement binders towards a viable masonry construction material

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will test the efficacy of high-volume scaled microorganisms with the ability to induce cementation for masonry applications using methods proven at laboratory scale. Sporosarcina Pasteurii, a common non-pathogenic soil bacterium, has the ability to induce the creation of a biocement material, fusing loose grains of aggregate. Mineral growth fills gaps between the aggregate grains, biocementing the particles together in a structural bond, a process that takes a few days or less. The resulting material has a composition and demonstrates physical properties similar to natural sandstone. Traditional masonry manufacturing is reliant upon expensive fuel sources for hardening the final product, and these represent a large percentage of total manufacturing costs. Biocementation at ambient conditions as a method for binding material into masonry units allows a cost advantage by eliminating the need for firing the final product. The objectives of this effort include an extension of the baseline fermentation process for microorganism scale-up, testing of the efficacy of cell recovery, and efficiacy testing of the full-scale masonry product. This research will also focus on testing the process efficacy with inexpensive industrial media in conjunction with high-volume fermentation and recovery practices. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the demonstration of the commercial viability of an optimized production process for masonry units (bricks) based on biocementation. Over 80% of global construction uses masonry. Masonry manufacturing is a $24 billion business in the US. According to the Carbon War Room, 1.23 trillion fired bricks are manufactured globally each year, emitting over 800 million tons of carbon emissions. Due to increased regulations introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), several masonry companies have had to either shut down or invest significant sums in cleaner production methods due to these associated emissions. Government incentives for green construction, compounded with increasing sustainability concerns - for example, end users such as architects, are specifying the use of more sustainable materials - have created an opportunity for the adoption of "greener" cementitious materials. The societal impacts of this research will include a significant reduction of carbon emissions and the addition of manufacturing jobs in the US. Biocementation has also been investigated for use in soil stabilization and mine recovery. This project will enhance the technological understanding of this process, will help to establish commercial viability, and will generate additional practical data including durability and physical performance.