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Coal desulfurization by bacteria

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Abstract

To meet federal air pollution guidelines, it is necessary to remove a considerable quantity of sulfur from many North American coals. This may be accomplished by oxidizing the sulfur to water soluble forms, followed by washing the coal. Selective oxidation of the various sulfur forms can be accomplished through the use of a variety of types of bacteria. In this paper, the various bacteria and their requirements are described, and processes using bacteria to remove coal sulfur are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA

    S. K. Kawatra (members SME, professor and graduate research assistant, respectively) & T. C. Eisele (members SME, professor and graduate research assistant, respectively)

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA

    S. Bagley (associate professor)

Authors
  1. S. K. Kawatra
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  2. T. C. Eisele
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  3. S. Bagley
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Additional information

SME preprint 87–133, SME-AIME Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, February 1987. MMP paper 87–623. Discussion of this paper must be submitted, in duplicate, prior to Jan. 31, 1988.

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Kawatra, S.K., Eisele, T.C. & Bagley, S. Coal desulfurization by bacteria. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 4, 189–192 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402690

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402690

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