Feasibility Study on the Integration of Adsorption/Bioregeneration of -Complexation Adsorbent for Desulfurization

A novel integration study on the feasibility of the use of a combined physical-biological procedure was reported for desulfurization of fuels. During this process, sulfur compounds are removed through adsorption and then biodegraded in a subsequent stage with Pseudomonas delafieldii R-8 strain, with the regeneration of the adsorbent. To select suitable (pi)-complexation adsorbents for desulfurization, dibenzothiophene (DBT) was used as a model compound to study the adsorption capacity of these adsorbents. Different metal ions, namely Co2+, Ni2+, Ce3+, and Cu+ were used to prepare desulfurization adsorbents using the ion exchange method. The reduction behavior of Cu(II)-Y was studied by using temperature programmed reduction (TPR) with reducing gas (10% H2 and 90% N2, v/v). The acidity of the adsorbents was characterized by pyridine adsorption thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). (pi)-Complexation adsorbent Cu(I)-Y was successfully bioregenerated. The adsorption capacity of the regenerated adsorbent is 85% that of the fresh one after being regenerated with Pseudomonas delafieldii R8, washed with n-octane, dried at 100 °C for 24 h, and reduced in H2 and N2. After bioregeneration, the adsorbent can be reused.