Bioprecipitation of Calcium Carbonate by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Isolated from Mining Areas in the Department of Antioquia (Colombia)

Biomineralization is an area of increasing interest because of its potential applications in climate change mitigation, construction, and bioremediation. However, knowledge of this process in microorganisms other than gram-positive bacteria, such as those from the genus Bacillus, is limited. In Colombia, while various studies have documented biomineralization in gram-positive bacteria, little is known about the potential of other native microorganisms for biotechnological applications. This study aimed to report the biomineralization capacity of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a native bacterium isolated from the department of Antioquia. To achieve this, the ability of the bacterium to bioprecipitate calcium carbonate in B4 culture media was assessed. Additionally, molecular characterization of the bacterium was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and morphological and chemical descriptions of the produced crystals were conducted using electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy.