Microbial conversion of coal

Technical Report · Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:6540220

Bean, R M ^[1]

---

1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)

The objectives of this project were to describe in detail the degradation of coals by fungi and microbes, to expand the range of applicability of the process to include new microbes and other coal types, to identify the means by which biosolubilization of coal is accomplished, and to explore means to enhance the rates and extent of coal bioconversion. The project was initiated in a response to the discovery by Dr. Martin Cohen at the University of Hartford, of a fungal strain of Coriolus versicolor that would render a solid coal substance, leonardite, into a liquid product. The project has identified the principal agent of leonardite solubilization as a powerful metal chelator, most likely a fungal-produced siderophore. Another nonlaccase enzyme has also been identified as a unique biosolubilizing agent produced by C. versicolor. Assays were developed for the quantitative determination of biological coal conversion, and for the determination of potency of biosolubilizing agent. Screening studies uncovered several microbial organisms capable of coal biodegradation, and led to the discovery that prolonged heating in air at the moderate temperature of 150{degree}C allowed the biodegradation of Illinois {number sign}6 coal to material soluble in dilute base. Chemical studies showed that leonardite biosolubilization was accompanied by relatively small change in composition, while solubilization of Illinois {number sign}6 coal involves considerable oxidation of the coal. 24 refs., 32 figs., 27 tabs.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/FE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6540220
• Report Number(s): EPRI-GS-6553
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
COAL
BIOCONVERSION
BIODEGRADATION
COAL LIQUIDS
ENZYMES
FUNGI
MICROORGANISMS
PROGRESS REPORT
SCREENING
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
LIQUIDS
MATERIALS
PLANTS
010405* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
550700 - Microbiology