The influence of flotation reagents on sulfur-oxidizing bacteria Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans

It has been demonstrated that various flotation reagents influence, in a different manner, the metabolic activity of the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans (strain C1 being isolated from the Fe-Zn tailings water) growing in the Waksman/Joffe (W/J) liquid culture medium that contains thiosulfate as a sole energy source for bacteria growth. The ethyl- and amyl xanthates as well as the frothing reagent stimulated, to a limited extent, the tested C1-bacteria metabolic activity. The very well documented bacterially-influenced acidification of the W/J solution supplemented with the ethylor the amyl xanthates suggests the possibility of these substances effective acid-degradation in the post-industrial environments rich in various flotation reagents, mainly xanthates. Both the activator containing the carbamate ethyl-derivative and the modifier composed of Cu(II)-ions caused a complete inactivation of the A. thiooxidans C1-metabolism. It is suggested that some unexpected chemical reactions may proceed in the tested systems, as a result of interactions between the culture medium components, flotation reagents, their decomposition products, and also the products of bacterial metabolism.