The potential for self-healing of concrete via biomineralization processes in which microorganisms influence mineral precipitation is promising. To embed microorganisms within a cement-based material, key challenges are to find a microorganism that can tolerate the highly alkaline conditions, survive the mixing process, and remain viable with limited access to nutrients. The focus of this work is to determine the metabolic state of unencapsulated Sporosarcina pasteurii, inoculated vegetatively, in a cement-based matrix over time and to examine its ability to remediate internal cracks and reduce porosity. Viable S. pasteurii was found in hardened mortar samples that were as old as 330 days, and 48% of the viable cells detected were vegetative. A greater fraction of the inoculated cells remained viable in mortar as compared to cement paste, which is promising because mortar is a better representation of the composite nature of concrete than cement paste. Furthermore, as compared to neat paste and neat mortar, addition of the vegetative cell culture to bacterial paste and bacterial mortar resulted in reduced porosity. Bacterial mortar also demonstrated increased strength recovery as compared to neat mortar. The reduction in porosity and increase in mechanical regains demonstrated by the bacterial mortar suggest improved durability and service life for bioconcrete as compared to traditional concrete.

Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation has been identified as a novel method to improve durability and remediate cracks in concrete. One way to introduce microorganisms to concrete is by replacing the mixing water with a bacterial culture in nutrient medium. In the literature, yeast extract often has been used as a carbon source for this application; however, severe retardation of hydration kinetics has been observed when yeast extract is added to cement. This study investigates the suitability of alternative carbon sources to replace yeast extract for microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation in cement-based materials. A combination of meat extract and sodium acetate was identified as a suitable replacement in growth medium for Sporosarcina pasteurii; this alternative growth medium reduced retardation by 75 % (as compared to yeast extract) without compromising bacterial growth, urea hydrolysis, cell zeta potential, and ability to promote calcium carbonate formation.

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are used in numerous applications and have high likelihood of entering engineered and natural environmental systems. Careful assessment of the interaction of these NPs with bacteria, particularly biofilm bacteria, is necessary. This perspective discusses mechanisms of NP interaction with bacteria and identifies challenges in understanding NP-biofilm interaction, considering fundamental material attributes and inherent complexities of biofilm structure. The current literature is reviewed, both for planktonic bacteria and biofilms; future challenges and complexities are identified, both in light of the literature and a dataset on the toxicity of silver NPs toward planktonic and biofilm bacteria. This perspective aims to highlight the complexities in such studies and emphasizes the needs for systematic evaluation of NP-biofilm interaction.