Isolation and characterization of native microorganism from Turkish lignite and usability at fungal desulphurization

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) Vol. 116; pp. 634 - 641
• Main Authors: Aytar, Pınar, Aksoy, Derya Oz, Toptas, Yağmur, Çabuk, Ahmet, Koca, Sabiha, Koca, Hüseyin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alternaria sp; Applied sciences; Biodesulphurization; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Washability of lignite; Asia; Turkey; Biodesulphurization; Alternaria sp; Washability of lignite; Desulfurization; Particle size; Density; Optimization; Characterization; Time study; Screening; Lignite; Ash content; Bacteria; Microorganism; Sulfur
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2013.08.077

•Lignite studied is inconvenient and inadequate to clean with physicochemical methods.•Microbial desulphurization as a complementary approach was applied.•With a strain of Alternaria sp., 52% of sulphur removal was performed.•Several analyses before and after process were carried out.
In this study, microorganisms were isolated from Mihaliccik region (Eskisehir, Turkey) lignites with low rank and high ash and sulphur content.
A series of heavy liquids (from 1.3g/ml to 1.9g/ml) were used to determine the washability characteristics of lignite sample. Washability data indicated that the physical cleaning of the sample would be difficult. Therefore, microbial desulphurization through native microorganism was performed owing to inadequate physical cleaning.
After isolation studies, six different bacteria, five different molds and seven different yeasts were obtained. Desulphurization studies showed that the most effective isolate was a fungus and its molecular identification of the 18S rRNA gene showed that this fungus was Alternaria sp. Cf1 isolate with accession number KF564051. After screening of desulphurization studies, optimisation experiments with this fungal isolate were performed with Taguchi’s methodology. The parameters such as particle size, pulp density, initial pH, inoculum amount, incubation time were investigated during optimisation studies and optimum values were found as −0.106+0.038mm; 1% of pulp density; pH 4; 2%; and 12days, respectively. The results demonstrated that the treatment with lignite-derived inocula removed 52% of total sulphur. After fungal desulphurization, organic sulphur and sulphate removal were obtained as 38% and 51%, respectively.