From
birth to health, surfactants play an essential role in our
lives. Due to the importance, their environmental impacts are well
understood. One of the aspects that has been extensively studied is
their impact on bacteria, particularly on their motility. Here, we
uncover an alternate chemotactic strategy triggered by surfactantsdiffusiophoresis. We show that even a trace amount of ionic
surfactants, down to a single ppm level, can promote the bacterial
diffusiophoresis by boosting the surface charge of the cells. Because
diffusiophoresis is driven by the surface–solute interactions,
surfactant-enhanced diffusiophoresis is observed regardless of the
types of bacteria. Whether Gram-positive or -negative, flagellated
or nonflagellated, the surfactants enable fast migration of freely
suspended bacteria, suggesting a ubiquitous locomotion mechanism that
has been largely overlooked. We also demonstrate the implication of
surfactant-enhanced bacterial diffusiophoresis on the rapid formation
of biofilms in flow networks, suggesting environmental and biomedical
implications.