Utilization of Recycled Soybean as a Urease Source in Carbonate Precipitation for Soil Improvement
Utilization of Recycled Soybean as a Urease Source in Carbonate Precipitation for Soil Improvement
Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) is a promising soil improvement method using urease and reagents (urea and CaCl) as grouting materials. However, the high cost of commercial urease enzymes limits large-scale applications, as kilogram-scale supplies are required for engineering purposes. This study investigated recycled soybean, a sediment byproduct of urease extraction, as a sustainable, cost-effective urease source for calcium carbonate precipitation. Urease activity tests, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests, calcium carbonate content measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed to evaluate its effectiveness. The results showed that recycled soybean urease successfully catalyzed urea, precipitated calcium carbonate, and enhanced soil strength. SEM-EDS analysis revealed spherical structures, confirming the formation of calcium carbonate. These findings demonstrate the potential of recycled soybean urease for sustainable and economical soil improvement, offering a viable alternative to commercial urease for geotechnical applications.
Zalfa Maulida Ihsani; Naoki Kinoshita; Hideaki Yasuhara; Heriansyah Putra; Haruma Nishimoto
2025 International Conference on Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (ICBBG2025)
General session: Bio-mediated methods for infrastructure construction
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICBBG2025-30
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