Depth-wise fractionation of sulphur in cultivated soils of low and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh

The current investigation was conducted to study the fractions of sulphur in nine districts of low and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh. For this purpose 31 representative soil sampling sites were selected from nine districts and the soil samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties and different fractions of sulphur (water soluble sulphur, exchangeable sulphur, available sulphur, non-sulphate sulphur, organic sulphur and total sulphur). The results indicated that the total sulphur in soils varied from 98.2 to 470.1 mg kg-1 in surface soil (0-15 cm) and 67.2 to 370.7 mg kg-1 in sub-surface layer (15-60 cm). The organic sulphur varied from 80.5 to 401.1 mg kg-1 in surface and 44 to 306.1 mg kg-1 in sub-surface layer. The water soluble sulphur, exchangeable sulphur, available sulphur and non-sulphate sulphur varied from 1.7 to 9.2, 2.7 to 18.4, 4.5 to 27.6 and 10.2 to 58.9 mg kg-1 respectively in surface soil and 0.5 to 5.4, 1 to 17.7, 3.7 to 23.5 and 12.5 to 50.2 mg kg-1, respectively in sub-surface soil. It was observed during course of study that with increase in the soil depth the content of different fractions of sulphur decreased. These soils had the major part of their total sulphur content in organic form followed by non-sulphate sulphur, available sulphur, exchangeable sulphur and water soluble sulphur. It can be concluded that the soil texture and organic carbon content played a major role in determining the quantity of different fractions of sulphur in these soils.

Available Sulphur Status in Soybean Growing Areas of Northern Telangana Zone

The black soils of Adilabad and Nizamabad districts of Northern Telangana zone most prominent for the cultivation of soybean. From this region of soils, sixty soil samples were collected and analysed for available sulphur and its fractions. The results indicated that available sulphur content ranged from 5.9 mg kg-1 to 52.6 mg kg-1 with a mean of 13.8 mg kg-1. The available sulphur content was low to medium in status. The extent of sulphur deficiency of soybean growing areas of Adilabad and Nizamabad are 50 and 43.4 per cent respectively. The water-soluble sulphur ranged from 5.4 mg kg-1 in rural samples of Nizamabad to 7.3 mg kg-1 in sonala soils of Adilabad district. Whereas KH2PO4 and Heat soluble sulphur content ranged from 19.2, 29.6 mg kg-1 in Armoor village to 28.7, 37.3 mg kg-1 in Sonala village respectively. The highest total sulphur content was recorded in soils of Adilabad district.

Modification of Pyrolytic Oil from Waste Tyres as a Promising Method for Light Fuel Production

Due to its high total sulphur content and other unfavourable properties, pyrolytic oil obtained as a result of tyres pyrolysis is not suitable for use as motor or heating fuel. Therefore, pyrolytic oil was hydrorefined. Hydrorefined oil was used as a component of light heating oil. A composition was prepared from 30 wt % hydrorefinate with 70 wt % Ekoterm Plus (a commercial oil). Unfortunately, the flash point temperature of the hydrorefinate was too low, and did not allow fuel compliant with the Polish standard PN-C-96024:2011 for L1 light heating oil to be obtained. Therefore, the fraction with boiling point below 180 °C was removed from the hydrorefinate. The residue, with a flash point of 74 °C and a sulphur content of 0.143 wt %, was mixed with Ekoterm Plus and fuels with a hydrorefinate fraction content of 30 and 50 wt % were prepared. The composition containing 30 wt % met the requirements for L1 oil in the whole range of tested parameters. Total sulphur content was 0.092 wt %, specific weight was 856 kg/m3 and closed cup flash point was 64 °C. However, the composition containing 50 wt % hydrorefinate did not meet the requirements regarding sulphur content and specific weight. Sulphur content, specific gravity, and flash point are the parameters limiting the possibility of using hydrorefined pyrolytic oil for composing light heating oils compliant with the mentioned standard.

CHEMICAL DESULPHURISATION OF SUB-BITUMINOUS HIGH SULPHUR INDONESIAN COAL VIA PEROXYACETIC ACID TREATMENT

The chemical desulphurisation from an Indonesian high sulphur sub-bituminous Banjarmasin Haji Ali-Aliansar coal was investigated using the peroxyacetic acid (PAA), a mild oxidising agent. A mixture of hydrogen peroxide:acetic acid (i.e. 30:70 by volume ratio with 6% of hydrogen peroxide concentration) at 50°C of reaction temperature is capable of reducing the total sulphur content in the coal from 3.46% to 1.29% by weight, corresponding to the removal of up to ca. 72% of the total sulphur; both the inorganic (mainly pyrite) and organic sulphur forms, and approximately 10 to 44% of ashes in the coal. The simultaneous removal of both inorganic and organic sulphur forms was measured with respect to reagent volume mixed ratio, reaction temperature and hydrogen peroxide concentrations. The success of desulphurisation was measured by the reduction of the total sulphur content of the desulphurised product, its S/ C atomic ratios and ash yields of the treated coal. In general, all inorganic and some of the organic sulphur could be removed from the coal using mild conditions without severely affecting the coal microstructure as observed via the Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) which supplied the coal sample.

Preliminary investigation of mineralogy and chemistry of peats from the Kietrz site, southern Poland

Peat bog deposits provide a very important record of past environmental conditions, preserving biotic and abiotic processes that occurred in the vicinity of the bog. In this study, we examined three peat bog profiles from Kietrz, located in the micro-region of the Głubczycki Plateau, southern Poland. The objective of this study was to determine the type of peat occurring in this area, through examination of its mineral composition, and evaluation of the total carbon and total sulphur content. In addition, we measured peat reaction (pH) and identified floral and faunal components occurring within the peat deposits. The peat comprises primarily of fragments of fossilized plant and mollusk remains, as well as minerals (calcium sulphates, calcium carbonates, and pyrites). Additionally, an assemblage of iron oxides/hydroxides, Kfeldspar, apatite, zircon, and quartz grains was identified. A neutral and/or light alkalinity was recorded for the peat deposits, but an increase in acidity (pH) with increasing depth through each peat profile was also recorded. We observed a positive correlation between the pH and chemical composition of deposits, where a significant presence of calcite is associated with higher reaction (higher pH), whilst a lower pH is characteristic for sediments where carbonates are rare. The recognized species of mollusks are typical of shallow, fresh-water stagnant reservoirs with a high fluctuation of water level.

The total sulphur content in the mosses of Polish National Parks - changes within the last 10 years

The pollution of Polish National Parks with sulphur compounds was determined for 1975 and 1986 using the moss, <i>Pleurozium schreberi</i> as a bioindicator. The mean total sulphur content in the mosses of the parks ranged from 895 to 2116 µg•g^-1 dry weight in 1975 and 1117 to 2410 µg•g^-1 dry weight in 1986. Statistical differences were found in the concentration of sulphur in mosses between the particular parks, as well as among the peripheral and central park areas in 1975 while such differences were lacking in 1986. The total sulphur in mosses showed a tendency to increase over the 10-year period although there was no statistically significant difference between the concentrations of this element between the two studied periods. The level of total sulphur is significantly modified by atmospheric precipitation and does not therefore always accurately illustrate the degree of air pollution with SO₂. For this reason, mosses cannot be recognised as suitable indicators of pollution of the atmosphere with sulphur compounds.

Total sulphur content in deposits of the Zofiówka monocline (sw part of upper silesian coal basin)

Streszczenie Dokonano charakterystyki zmian zawartości siarki całkowitej w 29 pokładach węgla kamiennego złóż Pniówek i Zofiówka, występujących w monoklinie Zofiówki - obszarze o podstawowym znaczeniu dla pol- skiej bazy węgli koksowych. Wytypowane do badań pokłady reprezentują warstwy siodłowe, rudzkie, załęskie i orzeskie, tj. pokłady gnip 500,400 i 300 (namur B - westfal B). Charakterystyki zmian S,d dokonano na podstawie utworzonej cyfrowej bazy danych obejmującej 2730 próbek, spośród których w 2661 oznaczono zawartość tego pierwiastka. Przeprowadzono podstawowe analizy statystyczne, za pomocąktórych określono m.in. liczbę próbek, w których oznaczono zawartość siarki całkowitej w poszczególnych pokładach, a także min., maks. oraz średnią zawartość tego pierwiastka w danym pokładzie. Prześledzono zmiany zawartości siarki całkowitej w układzie wertykalnym (wraz z głębokością) i horyzontalnym (w dwóch kierunkach: E-W oraz N-S). Wykreślono także mapy izoliniowe zawartości siarki całkowitej we wszystkich badanych pokładach węgla. Wyniki badań wykazały, że zawartość siarki całkowitej w badanych pokładach złóż monokliny Zofiówki zmienia się w zakresie od 0,21% S,d w pokładzie 406/1 do 2,18% S,d w pokładzie 361. Zawartość średnia siarki całkowitej w złożach monokliny Zofiówki wynosi 0,65% S,d. Nie wykazano żadnej ogólnej tendencji zmian zawartości siarki cał- kowitej. W każdym z pokładów obserwuje się odmienny charakter tych zmian. Przedstawione w artykule rezultaty stanowią część wyników uzyskanych w ramach projektu badawczego pt.: „Inteligentna koksownia spełniająca wymagania najlepszej dostępnej techniki”, opartego na współpracy nauki z przemysłem, realizowanego w ramach Programu Operacyjnego „Innowacyjna Gospodarka” i finansowanego w większości ze środków Europejskiego Funduszu Rozwoju Regionalnego.