Bioengineered Mineral Precipitation: Biological Mechanisms, Functional Materials, and Engineering Applications

Bioengineered mineral precipitation, driven by microbial activity and enzyme-mediated pathways, is emerging as a powerful tool for the sustainable synthesis and functionalization of materials. By harnessing biological systems to control mineral formation, biopolymer interactions, and binding mechanisms, these approaches enable precise regulation of material evolution under mild conditions, offering a low-carbon alternative to conventional material production and stabilization methods. These biologically controlled processes are increasingly being translated into engineered systems for soil improvement, construction materials, and environmental remediation.Recent advances have demonstrated the potential of bio-mediated systems to tailor mechanical, hydraulic, and physicochemical properties across diverse applications, including bio-concrete, self-healing materials, soil improvement, and particulate binding systems. Central to these developments are biological processes such as microbial metabolism, enzyme kinetics, and biomolecular interactions that govern ion transport, nucleation, and crystal growth. However, achieving consistent and predictable performance remains challenging due to limited control over biological activity and its coupling with complex chemical and environmental conditions.A key research gap lies in understanding and engineering the interactions between biological processes and material responses across scales. The spatial distribution and phase evolution of biominerals (e.g., carbonates, phosphates, and sulfides), biopolymeric matrices and other bio-mediated binding networks, interfacial bonding mechanisms, and system responses to environmental and mechanical stimuli require further quantitative investigation. Integrating biological regulation with materials design, as well as leveraging data-driven and machine learning approaches, offers new opportunities for predictive control and process optimization but remains underexplored.This Research Topic aims to advance the fundamental and applied understanding of bioengineered mineralization and bio-mediated processes from an integrated biotechnology and engineering perspective. We welcome contributions that explore biological mechanisms, engineered microbial or enzymatic systems or other bio-inspired systems, and their integration into functional materials and scalable processes. Studies bridging molecular- to macro-scale behavior and combining biotechnology with materials and environmental engineering are particularly encouraged. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Engineering of microbial systems, enzymes, and bio-inspired pathways for controlled mineralization or processing• Biological regulation of nucleation, crystal growth, and microstructural evolution• Coupling of biological metabolism, enzymatic activity, and transport phenomena• Design of bio-based, hybrid, living and biopolymeric materials with tailored properties• Utilization of waste-derived substrates and sustainable biochemical pathways• Multi-scale characterization and modeling of bio-mediated material systems• Data-driven, statistical, and machine learning approaches for prediction and optimization of bio-mediated processes• Process engineering, bioreactor design, and strategies for scale-up• Environmental performance, durability, and sustainability assessment of bioengineered materials Topic editors: Prithvendra Singh, Sivakumar Gowthaman, Venkata Siva Naga Sai Goli Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80073/bioengineered-mineral-precipitation-biological-mechanisms-functional-materials-and-engineering-applications