| Abstract: | ![]()
Biodegradation of nitrogen-enriched lignite by soil bacteria previously acclimated in hydrogen peroxide-acetic acid lignitic substrate was carried out to assess the effects of nitrogen functional groups on the biodegradation of lignite. Chlorination, oxidation plus nitration, and ammoniation were applied in an attempt to modify the chemical structure of lignite so as to obtain a lignitic substrate that is more compatible to the enzymatical system of ordinary soil bacteria than that of unmodified lignite. Incorporation of nitrogen containing functional groups into lignite structure achieved 4.71 wt%, a value five times higher than that usually found in unmodified (raw) lignite. Data collected through a 16 day incubation time, monitoring production as well as depletion of both nitrate and organic acids, concluded that biodegradation was expedited by the incorporation of nitrogen into the structure of lignite. Twenty-eight compounds were identified based on the results from GC/MS analysis of the products. |
