Biological removal of pyritic sulfur from coal by the thermophilic organism Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.260270107· OSTI ID:5689355

Kargi, F; Robinson, J M

More than 90% of initial pyritic sulfur was removed from bituminous coal samples containing 2.1% pyritic sulfur using the thermophilic organism Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Microbial desulfurization rate was improved nearly ten fold by adjusting the N/P and N/Mg ratios in the nutrient medium. Environmental conditions were optimized. The optimal values of temperature and pH were 70/sup 0/C and 1.5, respectively. The influence of certain process variables (such as coal pulp density, particle size and initial cell number density) on the rate of pyritic sulfur removal were determined. A pulp density of 20%, particle size of anti D/sub p/ < 48 ..mu..m, and an initial cell number density of 10/sup 12/ cells/g pyrite in coal were found to be optimal. The carbon dioxide enriched air did not improve the rate of pyritic sulfur removal compared to pure air at 10% pulp density of coal samples containing 2.1% pyritic sulfur. The kinetics of microbial leaching of pyritic sulfur from coal was investigated. The rate of leaching was found to be first order with respect to pyritic sulfur concentration in the reaction medium.

• Research Organization: Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA
• OSTI ID: 5689355
• Journal Information: Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States), Journal Name: Biotechnol. Bioeng.; (United States) Vol. 27:1; ISSN BIBIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010402* -- Coal
Lignite
&amp; Peat-- Purification &amp; Upgrading
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BITUMINOUS COAL
BLACK COAL
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
DENSITY
DESULFURIZATION
DISSOLUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
LEACHING
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALS
OPTIMIZATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PYRITE
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIZE
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMOPHILIC CONDITIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS