Abstract

CASTRO, VERÓNICA I.; RODRIGUEZ, DIANA C.  and  VEGA-POSADA, CARLOS A.. Induced Bioprecipitation with Sugarcane Cachaza as A Potentiating Mechanism for The Structural Improvement of Compressed Earth Blocks. Rev.EIA.Esc.Ing.Antioq [online]. 2021, vol.18, n.35, pp.153-172.  Epub Oct 31, 2021. ISSN 1794-1237.  https://doi.org/10.24050/reia.v18i35.1423.

Bioprecipitation takes place when microorganisms present in the soil generate precipitates of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) either naturally or induced by the application of specific nutrients. Nutrients can come from chemical sources, but they have the disadvantage of being more expensive, or from natural sources such as sugarcane cachaza. Cachaza is considered a waste product and is generated in Colombia in large quantities from the production of panela. In this study, the bioprecipitation capacity of CaCO3 was examined from bacteria isolated from silty soil samples recovered from a site in the municipality of Envigado-Antioquia. The soil was mixed at different ratios with nutrients from sugarcane and lime to construct Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) and to evaluate the increase of compressive strength due to the nutrient. The effects of different concentrations of sugarcane and lime cachaza, the incidence of the medium pH and the precipitation capacity of some selected strains were investigated. A maximum compressive stress of 74.6 kPa was obtained, representing an increase of 36.7% and 16.2% with respect to the control tests (i.e., soil without nutrient) and lime control tests, respectively. The results indicated that the sugar cachaza serves as a bioprecipitation enhancing mechanism, proving to improve the strength of the CEB and making it an economical and environmentally friendly alternative for soil improvement.

Keywords : Bioprecipitation; Sugarcane Cachaza; Lime; Compression efforts; Microorganisms; Soils.

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