摘要:
A method of desulfurizing a petroleum liquid containing organosulfur molecules is disclosed. The method relies upon the use of an aqueous biocatalytic agent comprising, in preferred embodiments, a substantially cell free extract of a microorganism which functionally expresses an enzyme capable of selectively cleaving organic carbon-sulfur bonds even in sulfur-bearing heterocycles, wherein the extract contains a substantial proportion of the total activity of said enzyme expressed by the microorganism. An emulsion, preferably a microemulsion, is formed between this biocatalytic agent and the petroleum liquid. Reversible microemulsions are particularly preferred, due to facilitated recovery of a desulfurized petroleum liquid at the conclusion of treatment. The invention described is particularly well suited to the desulfurization of petroleum liquids having a high relative abundance of refractory organosulfur molecules, such as dibenzothiophene.
摘要:
The invention relates to the discovery that the rate of reaction of the desulfurization of fossil fuels is enhanced by the addition of an oxidoreductase to the biocatalyst. The invention is drawn to a method for enhancing the rate of desulfurizing a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur compounds, comprising the steps of: a) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a biocatalyst capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and a rate-enhancing amount of an oxidoreductase, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture; b) maintaining the mixture of step (a) under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organic sulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; and c) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase. The invention also relates to a recombinant microorganism containing one or more recombinant DNA molecules which encode a biocatalyst capable of desulfurizing a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur molecules and which encode an oxidoreductase. The invention also relates to a composition comprising (a) a biocatalyst capable of desulfurizing a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur molecules and (b) an oxidoreductase.
摘要:
This invention relates to an integrated method for the desulfurization and desalting of a fossil fuel, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a fossil fuel with; (i) a sufficient amount of an aqueous solution capable of depleting the fossil fuel of forms of water soluble salt contaminants; and (ii) an effective amount of a biocatalyst capable of depleting the fossil fuel of forms of sulfur-bearing organic molecules; (b) incubating the above mixture whereby; (i) the fossil fuel is significantly depleted of forms of water soluble salt contaminants; and (ii) the biocatalytic agent selectively catalyzes carbon-sulfur bonds in sulfur-bearing organic molecules generating a significant amount of water-soluble inorganic sulfur molecules; both reactions occurring without depleting the fossil fuel of combustible organic molecules; and (c) separating the aqueous component from the fossil fuel component, the fossil fuel now being significantly reduced in sulfur and salt contamination and the aqueous component now being significantly enriched with inorganic salts and inorganic sulfur molecules.
摘要:
The present invention relates to a method for separating a sulfur compound from a fossil fuel containing sulfur compounds comprising contacting said fossil fuel with a biosorption agent which binds said sulfur compound, thereby forming a sulfur-biosorption complex and separating said sulfur-biosorption complex. The method can further include introducing said separated sulfur biosorption complex to an aqueous phase having an effective amount of oxygen and water to form a reaction medium, optionally adding a biocatalyst which degrades the sulfur compound; incubating the medium for a sufficient period of time to produce an organic product, an inorganic sulfur and spent biocatalyst; and isolating said biosorption agent and/or biocatalyst from said organic product and said inorganic sulfur. The invention also relates to the preparation of the products of the oxidation reaction of organic sulfur compounds by a biocatalyst, such as 2-hydroxybiphenyl compounds.
摘要:
A method for reducing the viscosity of viscous petroleum liquids, such as heavy crude oil and bitumen, is disclosed. The method is appropriate for use with viscous petroleum liquids that contain sulfur-bearing heterocycles, the physicochemical properties of the heterocycles contributing significantly to the viscosity of the liquid. The method comprises contacting the viscous petroleum liquid with a biocatalyst that converts sulfur-bearing heterocycles into molecules that lack physicochemical properties condusive to viscosity. The biocatalyst works in a sulfur-specific manner, such that the sulfur-bearing heterocycle is altered at the sulfur heteroatom thereof. Through biocatalysis, carbon-sulfur bonds are cleaved and/or polar substituents such as hydroxyl groups are joined to the sulfur heteroatom, the hydrocarbon framework of the sulfur-bearing heterocycle, or both. Preferred biocatalysts for viscosity reduction include preparations of Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC No. 53968 microorganisms and enzymes obtained therefrom.
摘要:
A continuous cyclic process for desulfurizing a petroleum liquid which contains organic sulfur molecules, a significant portion of which are comprised of sulfur-bearing heterocycles. This process involves oxygenating the petroleum liquid and treating it with a biocatalyst capable of catalyzing the sulfur-specific oxidative cleavage of organic carbon-sulfur bonds in sulfur-bearing aromatic heterocyclic molecules such as dibenzothiophene. a particularly preferred biocatalyst is a culture of mutant Rhodococcous rhodocrous bacteria, ATCC No. 53968. In the present process, the activity of this biocatalyst is regenerated; it can be used for many cycles of treatment. A system for conducting the continuous cyclic process of biocatalytic desulfurization of petroleum liquids is also disclosed.
摘要:
This invention relates to an integrated method for the desulfurization and desalting of a fossil fuel, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a fossil fuel with; (i) a sufficient amount of an aqueous solution capable of depleting the fossil fuel of forms of water soluble salt contaminants; and (ii) an effective amount of a biocatalyst capable of depleting the fossil fuel of forms of sulfur-bearing organic molecules; (b) incubating the above mixture whereby; (i) the fossil fuel is significantly depleted of forms of water soluble salt contaminants; and (ii) the biocatalytic agent selectively catalyzes carbon-sulfur bonds in sulfur-bearing organic molecules generating a significant amount of water-soluble inorganic sulfur molecules; both reactions occurring without depleting the fossil fuel of combustible organic molecules; and (c) separating the aqueous component from the fossil fuel component, the fossil fuel now being significantly reduced in sulfur and salt contamination and the aqueous component now being significantly enriched with inorganic salts and inorganic sulfur molecules.
摘要:
A method of deeply desulfurizing a fossil fuel which contains a variety of organic sulfur compounds, some of which are labile to hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and some of which are refractory to HDS, comprising the steps of (a) subjecting the fossil fuel to HDS or a similar method of desulfurizing labile organic sulfur compounds, and (b) subjecting the fossil fuel to biocatalytic desulfurization (BDS) using a biocatalyst which is capable of selectively liberating sulfur from HDS-refractory organic sulfur compounds. In this manner, a fossil fuel is produced which does not generate sufficient levels of hazardous, sulfur-containing combustion products that it requires post-combustion desulfurization when it is burned. Moreover, the deeply desulfurized fossil fuel can be produced using only a mild HDS treatment, rather than requiring conditions which may be severe enough to be detrimental to the fuel value of the desired product. The biocatalyst employed in the BDS stage of the instant invention is capable of catalyzing the sulfur-specific, oxidative cleavage of organic carbon-sulfur bonds in sulfur-bearing aromatic heterocyclic molecules such as dibenzothiophene. A particularly preferred biocatalyst is a culture of Rhodococcus rhodocrous bacteria, ATCC No. 53968.
摘要:
The present invention relates to IGF-I variants that bind to the Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptor I (IGF-IR) but do not initiate signal transduction and the subsequent metabolic, growth and anti-apoptotic activities associated with this molecule and the progression of cancer. These novel variants act to block the binding of the cognate ligands but do not bind to the insulin receptor.
摘要:
A method for the deep desulfurization of a liquid fossil fuel containing organic sulfur comprising aromatic sulfur-bearing heterocycles is described, wherein the fossil fuel is (a) subjected to hydrodesulfurization or microbial desulfurization, (b) contacted with a biocatalyst in an aqueous medium in an amount and under conditions sufficient for the conversion of aromatic sulfur-bearing heterocycles to inorganic sulfur, wherein the biocatalyst comprises bacteria or a substantially cell-free preparation thereof having the capability of the parent microorganism for catalyzing the removal of sulfur from aromatic sulfur-bearing heterocycles, thereby preparing a deeply desulfurized fossil fuel; and (c) separated from the aqueous medium.