Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks

Natural formation of the coral reefs is complicated by slow biomediated precipitation of calcium carbonate from seawater. Therefore, manufactured artificial coral reefs can be used for the formation of “underwater gardens” in marine parks for the recreational fishing and diving that will protect nat...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Volodymyr Ivanov, Viktor Stabnikov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIMS Press 2017-08-01
Series:AIMS Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.aimspress.com/environmental/article/1577/fulltext.html
_version_ 1819051711863455744
author Volodymyr Ivanov
Viktor Stabnikov
author_facet Volodymyr Ivanov
Viktor Stabnikov
author_sort Volodymyr Ivanov
collection DOAJ
description Natural formation of the coral reefs is complicated by slow biomediated precipitation of calcium carbonate from seawater. Therefore, manufactured artificial coral reefs can be used for the formation of “underwater gardens” in marine parks for the recreational fishing and diving that will protect natural coral reefs from negative anthropogenic effects. Additionally, the coating of the concrete, plastic or wooden surfaces of artificial coral reef with calcium carbonate layer could promote attachment and growth of coral larvae and photosynthetic epibiota on these surfaces. Three methods of biotechnological coating of the artificial coral reefs have been tested: (1) microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation from concentrated calcium chloride solution using live bacterial culture of <em>Bacillus</em> sp. VS1 or dead but urease-active cells of <em>Yaniella </em>sp. VS8; (2) precipitation from calcium bicarbonate solution; (3) precipitation using aerobic oxidation of calcium acetate by bacteria <em>Bacillus ginsengi</em> strain VSA1. The thickness of biotechnologically produced calcium carbonate coating layer was from 0.3 to 3 mm. Biocoating using calcium salt and urea produced calcite in fresh water and aragonite in seawater. The calcium carbonate-coated surfaces were colonized in aquarium with seawater and hard corals as inoculum or in aquarium with fresh water using cyanobacteria <em>Chlorella sorokiana</em> as inoculum. The biofilm on the light-exposed side of calcium carbonate-coated surfaces was formed after six weeks of incubation and developed up to the average thickness of 250 µm in seawater and about 150 µm in fresh water after six weeks of incubation. The biotechnological manufacturing of calcium carbonate-coated concrete, plastic, or wooden surfaces of the structures imitating natural coral reef is technologically feasible. It could be commercially attractive solution for the introduction of aesthetically pleasant artificial coral reefs in marine parks and resorts.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T12:08:17Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6476b33b1ea14345abbdfa442b8b65b1
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2372-0352
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T12:08:17Z
publishDate 2017-08-01
publisher AIMS Press
record_format Article
series AIMS Environmental Science
spelling doaj.art-6476b33b1ea14345abbdfa442b8b65b12022-12-21T19:04:39ZengAIMS PressAIMS Environmental Science2372-03522017-08-014458659510.3934/environsci.2017.4.586environ-04-00586Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parksVolodymyr IvanovViktor StabnikovNatural formation of the coral reefs is complicated by slow biomediated precipitation of calcium carbonate from seawater. Therefore, manufactured artificial coral reefs can be used for the formation of “underwater gardens” in marine parks for the recreational fishing and diving that will protect natural coral reefs from negative anthropogenic effects. Additionally, the coating of the concrete, plastic or wooden surfaces of artificial coral reef with calcium carbonate layer could promote attachment and growth of coral larvae and photosynthetic epibiota on these surfaces. Three methods of biotechnological coating of the artificial coral reefs have been tested: (1) microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation from concentrated calcium chloride solution using live bacterial culture of <em>Bacillus</em> sp. VS1 or dead but urease-active cells of <em>Yaniella </em>sp. VS8; (2) precipitation from calcium bicarbonate solution; (3) precipitation using aerobic oxidation of calcium acetate by bacteria <em>Bacillus ginsengi</em> strain VSA1. The thickness of biotechnologically produced calcium carbonate coating layer was from 0.3 to 3 mm. Biocoating using calcium salt and urea produced calcite in fresh water and aragonite in seawater. The calcium carbonate-coated surfaces were colonized in aquarium with seawater and hard corals as inoculum or in aquarium with fresh water using cyanobacteria <em>Chlorella sorokiana</em> as inoculum. The biofilm on the light-exposed side of calcium carbonate-coated surfaces was formed after six weeks of incubation and developed up to the average thickness of 250 µm in seawater and about 150 µm in fresh water after six weeks of incubation. The biotechnological manufacturing of calcium carbonate-coated concrete, plastic, or wooden surfaces of the structures imitating natural coral reef is technologically feasible. It could be commercially attractive solution for the introduction of aesthetically pleasant artificial coral reefs in marine parks and resorts.http://www.aimspress.com/environmental/article/1577/fulltext.htmlbiotechnological coating of surfaceartificial coral reefsmarine parkscalcium carbonate precipitationunderwater gardenstourist attraction
spellingShingle Volodymyr Ivanov
Viktor Stabnikov
Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks
AIMS Environmental Science
biotechnological coating of surface
artificial coral reefs
marine parks
calcium carbonate precipitation
underwater gardens
tourist attraction
title Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks
title_full Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks
title_fullStr Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks
title_full_unstemmed Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks
title_short Calcite/aragonite-biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks
title_sort calcite aragonite biocoated artificial coral reefs for marine parks
topic biotechnological coating of surface
artificial coral reefs
marine parks
calcium carbonate precipitation
underwater gardens
tourist attraction
url http://www.aimspress.com/environmental/article/1577/fulltext.html
work_keys_str_mv AT volodymyrivanov calcitearagonitebiocoatedartificialcoralreefsformarineparks
AT viktorstabnikov calcitearagonitebiocoatedartificialcoralreefsformarineparks