Biological solubilization of low-rank coal

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5508565

Cohen, M S

Low-ranked coals have been solubilized using cell-free extracts derived from liquid cultures of the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor. The coal solubilizing agent (CSA) has been separated from the broth components and purified by several analytical techniques including rotary evaporation, reverse osmosis, and solvent extraction. The recrystallized CSA retains coal solubilizing activity. Results from polarography, FTIR, and x-ray crystallography confirm that the purified CSA crystals responsible for coal-solubilization are ammonium oxalate monohydrate. The mechanism of solubilization has been deduced to involve removal of divalent cations (particularly iron FE(III)) from low-rank coals. This is followed by dissolution of the macromolecular coal structure. 38 figs., 9 tabs.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Hartford Univ., West Hartford, CT (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5508565
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EAR-7431
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FUNGI
BIOCHEMISTRY
LIGNITE
DISSOLUTION
SUBBITUMINOUS COAL
ACETATES
BIOCONVERSION
BUFFERS
CULTURE MEDIA
PERCHLORATES
PH VALUE
PHOSPHATES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
BROWN COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COAL
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
010405* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
550700 - Microbiology