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Title: Analysis of organic sulfur and nitrogen in coal via tandem degradation methods. Technical report, 1 September--30 November 1991

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10122717· OSTI ID:10122717

With the recent increase in concern for environmental issues and the implication of sulfur and nitrogen in coal combustion products as prime causes of acid rain, it has become clear that there is an urgent need for alternative methods for determining the nature of organic sulfur and nitrogen compounds in coal. The present study couples mold oxidative and reductive procedures to enhance the depolymerization of coal and its constituent macerals and the quantities of produces amenable to analysis. The study also seeks to apply the degradative techniques to coal asphaltenes, since they are believed to be polymeric structures similar to the whole coal, but smaller and more readily analyzed. While the research effort will focus on Illinois coal, additional samples with even higher sulfur contents will also used, allowing for much easier detection and characterization of organic sulfur structures. A preliminary tests of this hypothesis indicates that many of the same sulfur compounds are present in both the Illinois and in an extremely sulfur-rich coal and that the more complex sulfur compounds are indeed more concentrated in the sulfur-rich sample.

Research Organization:
Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale, IL (United States). Dept. of Geology
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Illinois Dept. of Energy and Natural Resources, Springfield, IL (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-91PC91334
OSTI ID:
10122717
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/91334-T18; ON: DE92007874
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: [1991]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English