Microbial desulfurization mechanisms
- Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)
Sulfur-specific desulfurization with Rhodococcus rhodochrous IGTS8 and related microorganisms may be a useful technology for upgrading high-sulfur carbonaceous materials to more environmentally acceptable fuels. Model compound studies with the organism showed that dibenzothiophene was converted to 2-hydroxybiphenyl or 2,2-dihydroxybiphenyl, depending on whether growth or nongrowth conditions were used in the desulfurization experiments. The pathways that lead to the two key intermediates in the degradation (2{prime}-hydroxybiphenyl-2-sulfinic acid and 2{prime}-hydroxybiphenyl-2-sulfonic acid) and the subsequent conversion of these intermediates to the phenol products required further understanding. The synthesis of an {sup 18}O-enriched sulfone substrate has been accomplished, and experiments were performed to elucidate the mechanism of the conversion to the sultine intermediate.
- OSTI ID:
- 254783
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940813--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Molecular biological enhancement of coal biodesulfurization
Microbial strain improvement for organosulfur removal from coal. [Quarterly] technical report, December 1, 1991--February 29, 1992