Consecutive Desulphurization of Coal with T. ferrooxidans and Acidianus brierleyi

hree different types of bituminous coal were subjected to microbial desulphurization in bench scale slurry reactors. Consecutive treatment with two microorganism species was used to test if different sulphur forms could be removed. The treatment started with the bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans followed by the archaeon Acidianus brierleyi. Consecutive treatment did not desulphurize the three tested types of bituminous coal any better than use of only one of the microorganisms. Sulphur normally reported as organic sulphur was not significantly affected by the treatment. Final content of pyritic sulphur was less than 0.1% after consecutive treatment, as well as after use of either T. ferrooxidans or A. brierleyi.