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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2009, p. 5981-5990, Vol. 75, No. 18
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02079-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Carbonate Crystals Precipitated by Freshwater Bacteria and Their Use as a Limestone Consolidant{triangledown}

Dania V. Zamarreño,1* Robert Inkpen,2 and Eric May1

School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building, Portsmouth University, Portsmouth, United Kingdom,1 Department of Geography, Buckingham Building, Portsmouth University, Portsmouth, United Kingdom2

Received 8 September 2008/ Accepted 14 July 2009

Bacterial carbonate precipitation is known to be a natural phenomenon associated with a wide range of bacterial species. Recently, the ability of bacteria to produce carbonates has been studied for its value in the conservation of limestone monuments and concrete. This paper describes investigations of carbonate crystals precipitated by freshwater bacteria by means of histological (Loeffler's methylene blue and alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff stain) and fluorescence (CTC [5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride]) stains, determination of cell viability inside carbonate crystals, and pore size reduction in limestone by image analysis. Carbonate crystals were found to be composed of bacteria embedded in a matrix of neutral and acid polysaccharides. Cell viability inside the carbonate crystals decreased with time. On stone, bacteria were found to form carbonate crystals, with only a few bacteria remaining as isolated cells or as cell aggregates. Pore size was reduced by about 50%, but no blockage was detected. Taken together, the results of this research provide some reassurance to conservators that biocalcification by bacteria could be a safe consolidation tool in a restoration strategy for building stone conservation.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building, King Henry 1st Street, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, United Kingdom. Phone: (44) (0)2392842037. Fax: (44) (0)2392842070. E-mail: dania.vicente{at}port.ac.uk

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 17 July 2009.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2009, p. 5981-5990, Vol. 75, No. 18
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02079-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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