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5740838 
Journal Article 
Toxic Additives - A Problem for Microbial Waste Rubber Desulphurisation 
Christiansson, M; Stenberg, B; Holst, O 
2000 
1 
Resource and Environmental Biotechnology
ISSN: 1358-2283 
3 
1 
11-21 
English 
Toxicity and growth inhibition are problems in microbial desulphurization of spent rubber material, a process aiming to increase the recycling of rubber materials from used car tires. The effects of rubber additives on sulphur oxidising microorganisms are, therefore, important to understand. Three sulphur oxidising microorganisms, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidianus brierleyi and TH2 Lund (an unidentified archaea) were tested for growth in the presence of different rubber additives commonly used in car tire production. Dibenzothiazyl-disulphide (MBTS) and cyclohexyl benzo-thiazole-sulphenamide (CBS) did not inhibit the microorganisms. Toxic effects on the three strains were found for the thiurames TMTM and TMTD used as accelerators. Growth was also inhibited by uncured polymer of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). In general, the archaea, A. brierleyi and TH2 Lund were more sensitive than the bacterium. Spent car tire rubber was leached with ethanol, acetone and ethyl acetate. Growth inhibition was not detected for any of the three tested strains after extraction with acetone. T. ferrooxidans and A. brierleyi were growing in the presence of rubber that had been extracted with ethanol 96% (v/v). Extraction before microbial treatment might be a method for making microbial desulphurization more applicable. 
Acidianus brierleyi; Thiobacillus ferrooxidans; desulfurization; Toxicology Abstracts; Microbiology Abstracts A: Industrial & Applied Microbiology; Pollution Abstracts; Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans; Additives; Rubber products; Sulfur bacteria; Waste treatment; Toxicity; X 24151:Acute exposure; P 4000:WASTE MANAGEMENT; A 01105:Non-patents