Rizwan Haider

Status of Coal Biotechnology in Pakistan

Pakistan is endued with 185 billion tons colossal reserves of coal, but only 7.89 % of the country total energy requirements are met by coal. Most of the Pakistani coal reserves are sub-bituminous or lignitic in nature and contain 3-12 % sulphur. Existence of sulphur compounds in coal limits its industrial application due to environmental as well as technical problems. However, coal biotechnology can emerge as panacea for upgrading the huge reserves of coal in Pakistan. In general, coal biotechnology refers to biodesulphurization, biosolubilization and biogasification of coal. NIBGE has long term interests in the field of coal bioprocessing for tapping prime resources of indigenous coal. In NIBGE, lab scale experiments for coal biodesulphurization led to 90% efficiency in sulphur removal. Heap leaching was also carried out at the level of 10 and 20 tons coal heaps with 60% sulphur removal efficiency. Furthermore, a prototype of 300 tons coal heap was set up with a local cement industry and 75% microbial desulphurization was achieved. The league of indigenously isolated chemolithotrophic bacteria was involved in coal desulphurization. On the other side, for making the best use of 175 billion tons of low rank coal reserves, coal biosolubilization and subsequent biogasification is being projected. Consequently, beneficiated coal through biotechnology is supposed to contribute in energy mix of Pakistan for providing electricity requirements of the country and saving huge oil import bills.

Isolation of Coal Degrading Fungus from Drilled Core Coal Sample and Effect of Prior Fungal Pretreatment on Chemical Attributes of Extracted Humic Acid

Fungal degradation of low rank coal has appeared as an alternative technique for exploitation of non-fuel options. A fungal isolate, MW1, was isolated and coal sample was subjected to fungal pretreatment. The residual coal was processed for extraction of humic acid for determining the effect of such pretreatment. Extracted humic acid was analyzed on the basis of elemental composition and spectroscopy. Fungal pretreatment caused improvement in oxygen content, E4/E6 ratio, and absorption bands related to humic materials. Conclusively, pretreatment resulted in improving chemical attributes of humic acid molecule, thus, warranting supplementary high-tech investigations for the optimization of process upscale.

Production of ethanol and bio-chars from Pakistani ligno-cellulosic biomasses

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was the production of ethanol from two locally available lingo-cellulosic biomasses: rice hulls and wheat straw. Both biomasses were ground to a particle size of 2 mm and pretreated with 2.5% solution of NaOH and the dried masses were individually subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using cellulase enzyme in buffer solutions. Fermentation of the hydrolyzed products was carried out by using saccharomyces cervices under anaerobic conditions at 35°C for three days of incubation period. The rice hulls and wheat straw produced 15.22 mg/ml and 25.02 mg/ml ethanol, respectively, (on the last day) with appreciable yields. The two bio fermentation residues were used for the production of bio using fixed-bed pyrolysis. At the optimum temperature of chars 600°C, the bio-char products from rice hulls contained 56.15% fixed carbon and 40.88% volatile matter (VM) with a gross calorific value of 7513 Kcal/Kg, whereas bio-chars from wheat straws contained 53.69% fixed carbon, 45.19% VM, and a gross calorific value of 7123 Kcal/Kg. Both bio-chars appear to be good value added products for fuel applications, activated carbon production, and carbon dioxide sequestration.

On Comparison Between Fungal and Bacterial Pretreatment of Coal for Enhanced Biogenic Methane Generation

ABSTRACT Owing to better understanding of subsurface geochemical carbon recycling and real-time active methanogenesis in major coal basins around the globe, substantial share of subsurface methane generation is attributed to biogenic origin. Since coal, being complex geopolymer, does not appear to be a favorable microbial substrate, enhancement in biogenic methane yield depends on its degradation into simpler organic substrates. This review puts forward a comparative analysis of fungal and bacterial pretreatment for determining the extent of facilitation in initial degradation of coal, which is still rate limiting step in overall conversion of coal into methane. Primarily, the initial fungal degradation of coal differs from bacterial pretreatment of coal in terms of the nature of released organics. On the basis of previous reports, fungal pretreatment of coal yields, majorly, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, however, bacterial pretreatment results in the generation of mixed organics pool of aromatics and aliphatics. The presence of aliphatics may be prospected for achieving greater conversion rates of coal conversion into methane. Considering the criticality of preliminary degradation of coal and associated issues, the fate of commercial biogenic methane generation would be dictated by the factors pertaining to geological considerations and reservoir geology, chemistry of coal and associated water tables, geomicrobial considerations and economic viability.

Enhancing biogenic coalbed methane generation: Accomplishments

Setting free the entangled structural matrix of coal for the transformation of resulting organic fractions of coal into cleaner fuel options, such as methane, still happens to be the primary bottleneck in achieving enhanced coalbed methane generation. Prior degradation of coal may find opportunity if this treatment could not only increase the rate of initial coal degradation but also promote targeted break-down of coal matrix, which could facilitate the terminal phase of methanogenesis. For about last 10 years, advancements in the area of biogenic coalbed methane may be evidenced at a number of forefronts, including microbial and metabolite profiling of coalbeds and associated waters, origin and mechanisms of biogenic coalbed methane, determination of the susceptibility of coals to biogenic methane generation, and effect of a number of chemical, geological, and other factors on enhanced biogenic methane generation (Haider et al. 2014, 2013; Li, Hendry, and Faiz 2008; Papendick et al. 2011; Penner, Foght, and Budwill 2010; Senthamaraikkannan, Gates, and Prasad 2016; Susilawati et al. 2015; Tamamura et al. 2016; Ulrich and Bower 2008; Wang, Qin, and Shao 2015; Wang et al. 2017). Evidence-based indication of realtime methanogenesis in coalbeds has attracted extraordinary attention for the last decade. A timeline of major research dimensions has been drawn in Figure 1. A number of review papers have also been published during the last couple of years, which highlighted and indicated the need of better understanding of coal-to-methane transformation, higher methane yields, economic analysis of prospective in situ or ex situ applications, and the fate of residual coal after stimulation or regeneration of bed methane (Park and Liang 2016; Ritter et al. 2015; Vinson et al. 2017). Depending on the geobiochemical nature of a certain coal basin, the in situ exploitation of coalbed methane may follow the possibilities of activating either coalbeds or formation waters either through supplying tailor-made microbial cocktail or by nutrient-derived boosting of the indigenous microbial niche. However, for both approaches, the effective disintegration of structural matrix of coal would be critical. Various methodologies have been proposed and experimented for facilitating preliminary degradation of coal and each strategy offers a unique set of advantages and disadvantages (Haider et al. 2013; Tamamura et al. 2016; Wang et al. 2017). Nevertheless, the fate of any strategy would depend on the release of those specific smaller coal fractions, which could be transformed into methanogenic substrates efficiently. Achieving this may require quite a coal-specific mixed microbial culture, especially designed for metabolizing the polyaromatic hydrocarbons, single-ring aromatics, and aromatic-heteroatomic complexes. Another important consideration is the sustainability of the coalbed methane well. For ex situ applications, the coal would require prior extraction and subsequent treatment in bioreactors. Coal appears to be a heteroatomic complex polymer and recalcitrant to any kind of biological degradation. Only a certain fraction of coal molecule can be transformed into methane, thus, necessitating the need of determining the fate of residual coal. There have been some investigations for making appropriate use of biotreated or residual coal; however, further extensive research is warranted (Haider et al. 2014, 2013; Walia and Srivastava 1994). The residual coal may find applications in many ways: (1) as chemical feedstock for extraction

Biogenic methane generation from Pakistani bituminous coal samples

ABSTRACT Three bituminous coal samples, from Salt Range, Makarwal, and Khost coalfields of Pakistan, were subjected to a bioassay, based on WBC-2, for determining the potential of biogenic methane generation from higher-rank coals. Under strict anerobic conditions, maximum methane yield was observed from Makarwal coal sample, that is, 0.275 µmoles per gram of coal. The results supported the idea of inhibited susceptibility of higher-rank coal toward biogenic methane generation. Low-rank coal still appears as a favorable target for stimulation or regeneration of methane, though, before achieving commercial-scale methane generation, there are a number of crucial factors, which need to be addressed.

Coal degradation through fungal isolate RHC2 from Romanian brown coal sample

ABSTRACT Fungal strains, isolated from coal environment, would be one of the best choices for obtaining released organics from coal for subsequent applications. Fungal isolate RHC2 was isolated from the surface of Romanian brown coal sample, and lignite degradation was investigated. The treatment of lignite sample, which originated from Thar coalfield, revealed the release of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, single ring aromatics, and aromatic nitrogen compounds, which were identified through Excitation-Emission Matrix Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometry. Released organic fractions may find applications in above-surface coal methanogenesis.