METHOD OF ALTERING SURFACE PROPERTY OF SUBSTANCE BY MICROORGANISM

摘要

PURPOSE:To alter the surface of a substance to hydrophobic or hydrophilic by bringing the substance surface into contact with a microbial body and selectively removing a specified substance by utilizing the selective adsorptivity of the microorganism. CONSTITUTION:The iron oxidizing bacteria such as Thiobacillus. ferrooxidance as the microorganism are cultured. The microbial body is brought into contact with the surface of a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances, and the desired substance is selectively separated on the substance surface by the selective adsorptivity of the microorganism. As a result, the surface of coal, etc., contg. reduced iron such as pyrite contained in a hydrophobic mixture on the surface is made hydrophilic, and the pyrite is selectively separated.