Sulfa　antibiotics　(SAs)　and　quorum-sensing　inhibitor　(QSI)　may　pose　potential　ecological　risks　because　mixed　using　of　them　has　been　proposed　to　inhibit　bacteria　from　generating　antibiotic　resistance.　This　study　investigated　the　time-dependent　hormesis　of　single　and　binary　mixtures　of　QSI　and　SAs　of　Vibrio　fischeri　(V.　fischeri)　for　0-24.　h.　Although　the　low-dose　SAs　stimulated　the　expression　of　LuxR　protein,　the　high-dose　SAs　could　inhibit　bacteria　growth　by　competitively　binding　to　dihydropteroate　synthase.　Moreover,　AinR　protein　was　bound　to　Benzofuran-3(2H)-one　(B3O)　with　low　concentration,　thus　the　N-octanoyl　homoserine　lactone　signal　molecules　(C8)　has　chance　to　bind　to　LuxR　protein　to　promote　light　emission.　The　hormesis　effect　induced　by　the　mixtures　could　be　deduced　that　SAs　promoted　the　expression　of　LuxR　protein　and　B3O　increases　the　chance　of　C8　binding　to　LuxR.　Our　findings　facilitate　new　insight　into　the　mechanistic　study　of　hormesis　and　ecological　risks　of　the　chemical　mixtures.　©　2015　Elsevier　B.V.