Journal of Environmental Biology

Desulfurization of coal using heterogeneous microbial species isolated from acid mine drainage, Talabira Coal Mines, Sambalpur, Odisha

S.N. Ahmed¹, N.J. Ekka² and I. Baitharu^1*       

¹Department of Environmental Sciences, Sambalpur University, Sambalpur-768 019, India

²School of Life Sciences, Sambalpur University, Sambalpur-768 019, India

*Corresponding Author Email : iswarbaitharu@suniv.ac.in                       *ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3046-2076

Received: 27.03.2023                                                                                                  Revised: 14.07.2023                                                                               Accepted: 09.09.2023

Abstract

Aim: The present study aims to assess the coal desulfurizing efficiency of heterogenous microbial consortia isolated from drainage water of Talabira Coal Mines, Sambalpur, Odisha.

Methodology: Microbial  species  in the  mine  drainage  water  were  isolated  and  cultured  using  9K+ medium. Identification  of microbial  species  was performed by the amplification  of 16S rDNA. The heterogeneous  microbial  consortia  were incubated  with pulverized coal to assess their desulphurizing  efficiency.

Results: The proximate analysis of the coal sample revealed 34.92% fixed carbon, 9.01% moisture, 33.38% ash and 25.44% volatile matter. After incubation of the pulverized coal with isolated and cultured heterogeneous microbial species from MDW water of Talabira coal mines area, Odisha for 24 days in aerobic condition, the total sulphur content was reduced from 2.86% to 1.61%, while significant removal of pyritic Sulphur (48%) was obtained from 1.72% to 0.91%. However, no remarkable reduction was seen in the case of organic Sulphur.

Interpretation: The results showed that drainage water of Talabira Mines inhabits numerous potential desulfurizing bacterial species that need further isolation, characterization, and process optimization to achieve optimal sulphur removal efficiency.        

Key words: Autotrophic bacteria, Coal, Microbial desulfurization

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