Analysis of limestone mine dust curing based on microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation and its mechanism

To address dust pollution in a limestone mining area, we successfully prepared an efficient glycerol-microbial dust suppressant using Sporosarcina pasteurii XL-1 and glycerol via microbially induced carbonate precipitation. The results revealed that glycerol not only improved the wettability of the dust suppressant but also promoted bacterial growth. The dust suppressant exhibited excellent surface tension, water retention, and wind erosion resistance under the conditions of mineralizing bacteria incubation for 24 h, 0.8 mol/L cementing fluid, and 1 % glycerol concentration. Microscopy revealed that calcite crystals formed in the treated dust, which effectively connected the dust particles and formed a stable CaCO3-dust cementation layer, enhancing the dust suppression effect. The results not only revealed that adding glycerol can improve the effectiveness of dust suppressants but also demonstrated that MICP is a promising technique for limestone mine dust management.