To explain the selective microbial adhesion of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on pyrite, zeta potential of both the bacterium cells and the mineral was measured using the electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) technique. Simultaneously, relative hydrophobicity of the cells and the mineral was determined by the liquid-liquid partition (BATH) test and the thin-layer wicking method (TLW), respectively. Heteroaggregation of the cells with the pyrite particles has been evaluated qualitatively from the ELS spectra provided by their mixtures at different pH and interpreted in terms of the Lifshitz-van der Waals and acid-base surface thermodynamics model of microbial adhesio
