Obtaining Native Biodesulfurizing Inocula from High-Sulfur Coals of Norte de Santander

Abstract

It has been sufficiently demonstrated that the main cause of acid rain is the use of fossil fuels with high sulfur content as an energy source, which release sulfur and nitrogen oxides that react with water and oxygen, forming diluted solutions of sulfuric acid and nitric acid that, when deposited on vegetation cover and soils, cause their deterioration. These effects undeniably exacerbate climate change factors, with the consequent impacts on the environment. The fossil fuel with the largest reserves available to humanity is coal, making it imperative to make efforts to ensure that its use and exploitation cause the least possible negative impact on the environment. It is therefore necessary to make efforts aimed at reducing the sulfur content in coal so that its use as fuel is less polluting. In this project, the growth of bacterial colonies with biodesulfurizing potential will be studied, based on the ability of certain microorganisms to oxidize the reduced sulfur compounds present in coal and convert them into water-soluble products; in general, it is a leaching process using acidulated water with sulfur-reducing microorganisms.