Experimental Study on Salt-Tolerant Mineralization Bacteria for Treating
Saline-Alkali Diseases in the Murals of Alzhai Grottoes
Abstract
The Alzhai Grottoes are challenged by a saline-alkali environment that
causes the murals to crumble and peel. Traditional restoration methods
are not effective in this environment and can lead to secondary damage.
This study employs microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation
(MICP) technology, using specific bacteria to induce mineral deposition
under saline-alkali conditions, forming a protective mineralized layer.
The study isolated and screened a mineralized strain, Bacillus
oceanicum, which was compared to the traditional mineralizing bacterium
Pasteurella. Laboratory experiments revealed that Bacillus oceanicum
exhibited higher solidification strength, uniform solidification, and
better salt-alkali tolerance. The cohesion of specimens treated with
Bacillus oceanicus increased by 83.18%, and the internal friction angle
increased by 29.06% compared to Bacillus pasteurii-treated specimens.
The study demonstrated that Bacillus oceanicum effectively treated the
saline-alkali diseases in the Alzhai Caves’ murals, reducing the height
of phthalate, the volume of crisp powder, and the thickness of salt
crust in MICP-treated samples by 29.1%, 45.0%, and 36.4%,
respectively, compared to untreated specimens. This research provides
new insights and methods for the protection and restoration of cultural
relics in special environments, focusing on the green microbial
technology for disease control and preventive protection of murals.