Nantaka Kheawpraju. Biodesulfurization of organic sulfur in petroleum by newly found microorganisms in Thailand. Master's Degree(Environmental Biology). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2007.
Biodesulfurization of organic sulfur in petroleum by newly found microorganisms in Thailand
Abstract:
Sulfur is one of the major non-hydrocarbon compounds in petroleum which is
released as sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere during combustion. It is also the major
cause of acid rain and air pollution. Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) is the technology
presently used in refineries for the pre-combustion desulfurization of fuels. However,
they cannot completely remove organosulfur compounds. Therefore, the application
of a biodesulfurization process to achieve more efficient desulfurization using
desulfurizing bacteria following HDS has attracted the attention. The objectives of
this study were to isolate and select the desulfurizing microorganisms with high
activity, and to study and compare the substrates desulfurizing efficiency by the
growing and resting cells of the selected bacterial strains.
In this study, bacteria which utilizes organosulfur compounds as the sole
source of sulfur were isolated from oil-contaminated areas, oil sludge samples and hot
spring soil samples in Thailand. DBT desulfurization activities of isolated strains were
also investigated. The strains with high desulfurization activity were selected and
identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. These strains were further studied by conducting
the growth of the bacteria on various organosulfur compounds (BT, benzyl phenyl
sulfide and DBT). Biodesulfurization of these substrates by growing and resting cells
of the selected bacteria was also investigated.
Seventeen bacterial strains were isolated in this study. After DBT
desulfurization activities of the isolated strains were studied, 3 strains of mesophilic
bacteria (MU_CP1, MU_CP4 and MU_SK4) and a strain of thermophilic bacteria
(MU_CM2) were identified and selected for further studies. However, the Gibbs
assay results indicated that none of the selected bacterial strains could desulfurize
DBT via the sulfur-specific (4-S) pathway. Based on the data obtained from the
growth and desulfurization activity experiments, the desulfurization activities of the
growing cells of all selected strains were lower than those of the resting cells. The
strain MU_CP1, Ochrobactrum tritici had a higher desulfurization activity than the
other selected strains, including IGTS8, which was a control strain in this study. Since
the strain MU_CP1 could not be proven to desulfurize DBT via the sulfur-specific
(4-S) pathway, this strain was still unable to be applied to the biodesulfurization
process.