Abstract: Effects of two typical surfactants, Tween-80 and sodium isobutyl-xanthate (NaIBX), with different concentrations on the growth and sulfur-oxidizing activities of a new strain Acidithiobacillus albertensis BY-05, an acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, were investigated. The results indicate that both surfactants can enhance the growth and sulfur-oxidizing activities of A. albertensis BY-05 only at some special concentrations, e.g., 10−4−10−8 g/L for NaIBX and lower than 10−8 g/L for Tween-80, but were inhibited and even harmful at higher concentrations. Both surfactants can not be metabolized by A. albertensis BY-05. The contact between the bacteria and the sulfur particles may be dependent upon both the extracellular substance and the surfactants, both of which provide the amphiphilic environment improving the attachment for bacteria to the sulfur particles surface. These data could be significant for enlarging the applications of both A. albertensis BY-05 and some typical surfactants for industrial bioleaching of sulfides minerals.

Key words: Acidithiobacillus albertensis BY-05; surfactant; growth activity; sulfur-oxidizing activity