Do Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Bacteria Affect the Selectivity of Dolomite/Francolite Separation?

Abstract

Abstract The similarity of surface properties of dolomite and phosphate minerals leads to limited or no selectivity in their separation by flotation. Many chemical additives were tested; however, a limited success was achieved. Recently, bio-surfactants and bacteria have received much focus not only because of their environmentally friendly behaviour but also for their enhanced selectivity in different processes such as flotation. In this paper, the adsorption of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (PA) bacteria onto francolite and dolomite was investigated. The adhesion of bacteria was studied by adsorption isotherm, zeta potential, and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy to reveal the effect of bacteria on the floatability of each mineral. The proposed adsorption mechanism depends mainly on physical interaction due to Van der Waal's, bridging, electrostatic, as well as hydrophobic forces.