Microbial Desulphurization of Low-Ranked Coal Using Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The microbial desulphurization technique was adopted to eliminate the Sulphur contents in the locally mined low-rank coal samples. Pseudomonas aeruginosa species was introduced in the batch incubation experiments for desulphurization. Parameters studied include the size of coal particles (100 µm and 150 µm) and the incubation period (7 and 14 days), respectively. The total sulfur and organic sulfur contents were identified using different analytical methods. The proximate and ultimate analysis of the samples before and after desulphurization was performed using a Muffle furnace and the carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur (CHS) analyzer using standard methods. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to identify chemical composition information and surface functional groups of the coal samples before and after microbial desulfurization. The samples' higher heating value (HHV) using the Oxygen Bomb Calorimeter shows a good energy gain after desulphurization, particularly for smaller particle sizes and greater incubation periods. The total sulfur reduction was assessed to be 32% for 150 µm and seven-day incubation periods, increasing to 39.6% for 100 µm and 14-day incubation periods, respectively. The study revealed a very effective desulfurization technique that is environmentally friendly and may lead to better utilization of low-rank coal in sustainable energy production.