THERMOPHILIC MICROORGANISMS FOR COAL BIOSOLUBILIZATION

COAL LIQUEFACTION TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO THE STAGEWHERE SUCCESSFUL PILOT PLANTS ARE NOW IN OPERATION IN THE UNITED STATES. HOWEVER, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS HAVE CURTAILED PLANS FOR COMMERCIAL VENTURES. BY SOLUBILIZING OXIDIZED COAL WITH THE HELP OF LIGNIN-DEGRADINGMICROORGANISMS, RESEARCHERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONVERT COAL TO WATERSOLUBLE DEGRADATION PRODUCTS. THIS FORM OF BIOLOGICAL COAL PROCESSING UNDER MILD OPERATING CONDITIONS PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES OVER THERMAL/CHEMICAL COAL CONVERSION PROCESSES. THE NEEDS OF COAL BIOSOLUBILIZATION RESEARCH INCLUDE ISOLATION OF NOVEL MICROORGANISMS, IDENTIFICATION OF DEGRADATION PRODUCTS, DETERMINATION OF THE BIOCHEMICAL PROCESS, AND EXPANSION OF THE VARIETY OF COALS AMENABLE TO LIQUEFACTION BY MICROORGANISMS. DURING THIS RESEARCH PROJECT, THERMOPHILIC (HEAT STABLE) MICROORGANISMS WILL BE COLLECTED FROM A NEARBY GEOTHERMAL REGION. THE SPECIFIC TARGET WILL BE ORGANISMS FLOURISHING IN THE PRESENCE OF LIGNIN AND HYDROCARBONS. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT MICROORGANISMS ADAPTED TO SUCH EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS WILL BE ABLE TO LIQUEFYCOAL EFFECTIVELY UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS AND HAVE THE ADDEDADVANTAGE OF APPLICABILITY TO LIGNIN AND HYDROCARBON DEGRADATION. THESE UNUSUAL MICROORGANISMS WILL ADVANCE THISDEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY.