Investigation of metabolites and optimization of bacterial culture for coal biogasification Phase 1. Topical report, February 1989-December 1990

Technical Report · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5587330

Barik, S; Tiemens, K; Isbister, J

ARCTECH is developing a novel coal biogasification approach using microbial consortia. The objective of the study was to obtain a fundamental understanding of the pathways utilized during bioconversion of coals to methane and define functional relationships among microbes which mediate the biogasification process. Three coals were biosolubilized using an aerobic mixed culture and the solubilized coal products were separated by ultrafiltration into seven fractions based on molecular weight. The fractions were subjected to chemical analysis and used as substrates for biogasification. Methane production was enhanced through culture manipulation and adaptation. Maximum methane production was achieved with the 3-10 K fraction of premium Beulah lignite (571 cc/g of coal carbon). Microscopic observation of the cultures revealed that different morphological types of bacteria predominated in each. These differences can be attributed to the selective pressure exerted by the various coal fractions present as principal carbon sources. Pyruvic, oxalic and tartaric acids were identified as key intermediates resulting from biogasification of these fractions. Changes in coal functional groups resulted from biogasification. By using soluble coal fractions as biogasification model compounds, ARCTECH identified several intermediates in the biogasification pathway, detected chemical changes in soluble carbon substrates effected by microbial consortia and developed cultures for biological conversion of coal to methane.

• Research Organization: ARCTECH, Inc., Alexandria, VA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5587330
• Report Number(s): PB-92-137595/XAB; CNN: GRI-5088-221-1756
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROBIC CONDITIONS
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ALKANES
BACTERIA
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIODEGRADATION
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BROWN COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COAL
COAL GASIFICATION
CULTURE MEDIA
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FILTRATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
LIGNITE
MATERIALS
METABOLITES
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
MIXTURES
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
MORPHOLOGY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
REACTION INTERMEDIATES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
ULTRAFILTRATION