Saneiyan, S., D. Ntarlagiannis, J. Ohan, J. Lee, F. Colwell, and S. Burns.
Ecological Engineering 127:36-47(2019)

Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a promising soil stabilization method performed by stimulating soil microbes that are naturally occurring and ubiquitous in soil systems. The precipitated carbonate acts as a cementation agent to bind loose soil at grain-to-grain contacts. The method has been studied for immobilizing contaminating metals and for prevention of slope failure in existing mine tailings dams. Currently, long-term field applications are challenged by quality control and monitoring issues. In a 15-day field-scale MICP treatment involving the injection of a molasses carbon source and urea in a Ca₂⁺-rich aquifer, induced polarization (IP) monitoring successfully delineated, spatially and temporally, MICP propagation in the treatment area, while common resistivity measurements failed to capture any MICP-related changes. Reduced hydraulic conductivity in the treated versus untreated areas further supported the effect of MICP treatment on subsurface physical properties. Conventional geochemical monitoring and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed carbonate precipitation in samples from wells in the treatment area.