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Chemical and biological characterization of high-Btu coal gasification: (The HYGAS process) I

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6529917

We have examined the relationships between mutagenic activity and chemical composition for fractions prepared from process stream materials obtained from a high-Btu coal-gasification pilot plant in which the HYGAS process is employed. Fractionation procedures have included fractional distillation; extraction of acidic, basic, and neutral components; liquid/liquid partitioning; and column chromatography on silica gel. A large number of organic compounds in the fractions have been identified by fused-silica, capillary-column gas chromatography, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Some fractions contain components that are mutagenic as indicated by the Ames salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay. Fractionation and GC/MS analysis indicate that the mutagenic components are relatively nonvolatile and that they may include neutral polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as more polar components such as primary aromatic amines (PAAs), azaarenes (AAs), and hydroxy-PAHs. In the basic mutagenic fractions that exhibited the highest specific biological activity, PAAs may be largely responsible for the mutagenicity, as supported by its observed loss subsequent to treatment with nitrous acid. Based on the observation that the recycle oil stream (which has the highest flow of potentially hazardous organic compounds) exhibits a mutagenicity well below 1% that of benz(a)pyrene, we tentatively conclude that the health and environmental risks due to commercialization of the HYGAS would be relatively low.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6529917
Report Number(s):
CONF-801039-12; ON: DE81023832
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English