An investigation into the bioconversion of South African sub-bituminous coal by Trametes species and Trichoderma atroviride
Doctoral Thesis
2008
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University of Cape Town
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The work presented in this thesis describes the preliminary investigation of the bioconversion of a South African (SA) sub-bituminous coal to produce low molecular mass intermediates which may be used in further processes to yield value-added compounds. Low rank coals (LRC), which are less desirable for combustion processes than high rank coals, are more amenable to biodegradation due to their high moisture content and oxygen-containing functionalities. LRC are therefore ideal for application to biological processing. Microorganisms that are capable of modifying the coal structure by different mechanisms have been identified. Among these are the well-characterised lignin-degrading fungal systems, which have been commonly investigated for the bioconversion of LRC due to the ligninocellulosic origin of LRC, and thus its structural similarities to lignin. The bioconversion of coal to yield value added products is still at the fundamental research stage and has focused mainly on the biosolubilisation of low rank coals such as lignite. There is still a need to discover the ideal combination of coal type and microbial strain.
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Vengadajellum, C. 2008. An investigation into the bioconversion of South African sub-bituminous coal by Trametes species and Trichoderma atroviride. University of Cape Town.