Sulfur-selective desulfurization of dibenzothiophene and diesel oil by newly isolated Rhodococcus erythropolis NCC-1

Abstract

A dibenzothiophene (DBT)-desulfurizing bacteria strain was isolated from oil-contaminated soils and identified as Rhodococcus erythropolis NCC-1. Strain NCC-1 was found to convert DBT to hydroxybiphenyl (2-HBP) via the 4S pathway and also be able to use organic sulfur compounds other than DBT as a sole sulfur source. The strain could desulfurize 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT), which is one of the most recalcitrant dibenzothiophene derivatives to hydrodesulfurization. When two type of oils, a model oil [n-hexadecane (n-C16) containing DBT] and a hydrodesulfurized diesel oil with various organic sulfur compounds, were treated with Rhodococcus erythropolis NCC-1 cells, the total sulfur content significantly decreased, from 150 to 20 mg/L for n-C16 and from 554 to 274 mg/L for diesel oil. The newly isolated strain NCC-1 is considered to have good potential for application in the biodesulfurization of fossil fuels. © 2007 SIOC, CAS, & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.