Biocementation of excavated sandstone

This small project conducted within the iTEC and ChemTech institutes aims to investigate the possibilities of using biocementation to recycle excavated sandstone with a view to producing new construction material.

By mixing bacteria (Sporosarcina pasteurii) with urea and calcium chloride, biocementation induces calcite precipitation. The sand grains that make up the sandstone are thus bound together by this calcareous cement, making it possible to obtain low-impact construction material (low grey energy and CO2 emissions).