Microbial desulfurization of fuel oil

Culture conditions of desulfurization microbes were investigated with a bioreactor controlled by computer.Factors such as pH, choice of carbon source, optimal concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur sources were determined. The addition of carbon in a culture with a constant pH greatly improved the growth of Rhodococcus. Cells and cell debris from microbes rested using a sulfur- specific pathway were used to desulfurize diesel oil treated by hydrodesulfurization (acquired from the Research Institute of Fushun Petroleum with total sulfur level at 205 μg/mL).Strains 1awq, IG, X7B, ZT, ZCR, and a mixture of No. 5 and No. 6, were used in the biodesulfurization process. The reduction of total sulfur was between 10.6% and 90.3%.