Darshan S. Marjadi
Carbonate precipitation is a natural phenomenon with a great importance in many chemical and engineering applications. Precipitation can be induced by bacteria as a byproduct of common microbial processes, such as ureolysis. In this process, bacteria hydrolyze urea through a series of reactions which raise the pH of the system. In the presence of calcium ions, this rise in pH shifts the saturation state of the system, allowing for solid calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to form. The use of these bacteria in biotechnical applications is appealing because urea is a fairly inexpensive substrate, and ureolytic bacteria are common in soil and aquatic environments. Bacteriogenic mineral plugging is an innovative use for this process. The tools of biotechnology have a great and largely untapped potential for the preservation and restoration of our cultural heritage. In this article it has been described a unique example of a group of scientists and review some of the new applications in biotechnology for the preservation of cultural heritage. Here, it has been predicted an expansion in this field and the further development of biotechnological techniques, which will open up new opportunities to biologists for conservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites.
