Microbial Degradation of Coal into a Value Added Product

ABSTRACT

Microbial treatment has been considered as an economic, effective and environment safe way of processing coal via degradation of the macromolecular network into simpler, low molecular weight products. The present work is intended to observe the feasibility of microbial attack on reject coal, having high ash content (65% ash). The results indicated that microorganisms were able to change and modify the macro molecular structure of reject coal. This paper summarizes the potential ability of the microorganisms to beneficiate reject coal and to make a value-added product, humic acid from reject coal. This work describes the status of current and the probable directions of the future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Coal
• microorganisms
• humic acid
• degradation

Acknowledgments

We greatly acknowledge RD and T division of Tata Steel Ltd, for kindly providing facilities for completion of work. Authors are also thankful to IIT- Kharagpur, for doing analysis in their labs.