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Aragonite development by biomineralization:
Application to Ca reduction in a hypersaline pond, Qarun Lake, Egypt
Ashraf M. A. Wali, Youssria M. Samy1, Ragab M. ElSheikh2 and Adel M. Abd ElTawab2

Dept. Gology, Fac. Sciences, Cairo Univ.1, Dept. Earth Sciences, National Research Center2, Egyptian Salts and Minerals Co., Egypt.

A trial to adopt biomineralization to reduce Ca content in the form of aragonite was executed in a hypersaline pond site, Lake Qarun, Fayium. The separated crystals from the mineralized biomasses indicate formation of pure aragonite crystals of different sizes. This environmentally safe process is proved efficient to reduce the Ca content and matches the changes in the chemical composition of Lake Qarun (increase in Ca content) recently. This has also an application in different industrial fields.