1.Chemical Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, 37831-6194, Oak Ridge, TN ;2.Chemical Sciences Department, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, 99352, Richland, WA ;
Abstract:
Preliminary characterization of a microbial coal solubilization product has been performed. Submerged cultures ofPaecilomyces TLi orCandida ML13 were grown in defined minimal media containing preoxidized Wyodak subbituminous coal. Culture supernatants contained high-molecular-weight, acid-precipitable material that was separated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) in aqueous and polar organic solvents. Organic GPC also separated a low-molecular-weight (<2700 daltons) fraction that was converted to higher-molecular-weight material upon acidification. Elemental analysis of the acid-precipitated material indicated an increased oxygen content as a result of the biological treatment. The biosolubilized product may undergo further microbial modification.