Characterization of superhigh-organic-sulfur Raša coal, Istria, Croatia, and its environmental implication

Gordana Medunić; Mihaela Grigore; Shifeng Dai; Debora Berti; Michael F. Hochella; Maria Mastalerz; Bruno Valentim; Alexandra Guedes; James C. Hower

doi:10.1016/j.coal.2019.103344

Characterization of superhigh-organic-sulfur Raša coal, Istria, Croatia, and its environmental implication

Gordana Medunić
, Mihaela Grigore
, Shifeng Dai
, Debora Berti
, Michael F. Hochella
, Maria Mastalerz
, Bruno Valentim
, Alexandra Guedes
, James C. Hower

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Paleocene high volatile B bituminous Raša coal, mined on the Istrian Peninsula, Croatia, for nearly 400 years up to 1999, is notable in having a superhigh organic sulfur (SHOS) content, exceeding 11% in some cases. The latter feature contributed to interest in the coal, far outweighing its status as a locally-used coal. Investigation by organic petrology, X-ray diffraction mineralogy, X-ray fluorescence and ICP-MS chemistry, SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS-SAED, micro-FTIR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy showed that the Raša coal is dominated by vitrinite-group macerals, CaO and SO₃, carbonate minerals with contributions by Sr- and Ba-sulfates at the sub-micron scale, and the contribution of sulfur to the organic structure. Compared to Chinese SHOS coals and world ash, a majority of analyzed trace elements in Raša coal and ash, respectively, were depleted (up to 0.8 times), with the exception of V, Se, Sr, and Ba, which were increased 1.7 to 26 times. This fact, supported by elevated trace element concentrations in dripstone, are evidence for weathering of Raša coal by underground water, which is contaminating the local environment with trace elements, selenium in particular. Results of this study warrant further research.

Original language	English
Article number	103344
Journal	International Journal of Coal Geology
Volume	217
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2019.103344
State	Published - Jan 2 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Funding

A portion of this study was supported in part by National Science Foundation grant CBET-1510861 to the University of Kentucky. This work used shared facilities at the V irginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth), a member of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI), sorted by NSF ( ECCS 1542100 ). Raša coal sampling was feasible thanks to the assistance and cooperation of Ms. Glorija Paliska Bolterstein (Raša city mayor) and Mr. Mladen Bajramović (Istrian coal mines, Raša).

Funders	Funder number
National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure
National Science Foundation (NSF)	CBET-1510861, ECCS 1542100
National Sleep Foundation
University of Kentucky
irginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure

Keywords

Coal chemistry
Organic sulfur
Raša
Sulfur in coal
Trace elements
Water contamination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Fuel Technology
Geology
Economic Geology
Stratigraphy

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10.1016/j.coal.2019.103344

Cite this

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title = "Characterization of superhigh-organic-sulfur Ra{\v s}a coal, Istria, Croatia, and its environmental implication",

abstract = "The Paleocene high volatile B bituminous Ra{\v s}a coal, mined on the Istrian Peninsula, Croatia, for nearly 400 years up to 1999, is notable in having a superhigh organic sulfur (SHOS) content, exceeding 11\% in some cases. The latter feature contributed to interest in the coal, far outweighing its status as a locally-used coal. Investigation by organic petrology, X-ray diffraction mineralogy, X-ray fluorescence and ICP-MS chemistry, SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS-SAED, micro-FTIR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy showed that the Ra{\v s}a coal is dominated by vitrinite-group macerals, CaO and SO3, carbonate minerals with contributions by Sr- and Ba-sulfates at the sub-micron scale, and the contribution of sulfur to the organic structure. Compared to Chinese SHOS coals and world ash, a majority of analyzed trace elements in Ra{\v s}a coal and ash, respectively, were depleted (up to 0.8 times), with the exception of V, Se, Sr, and Ba, which were increased 1.7 to 26 times. This fact, supported by elevated trace element concentrations in dripstone, are evidence for weathering of Ra{\v s}a coal by underground water, which is contaminating the local environment with trace elements, selenium in particular. Results of this study warrant further research.",

keywords = "Coal chemistry, Organic sulfur, Ra{\v s}a, Sulfur in coal, Trace elements, Water contamination",

author = "Gordana Meduni{\'c} and Mihaela Grigore and Shifeng Dai and Debora Berti and Hochella, \{Michael F.\} and Maria Mastalerz and Bruno Valentim and Alexandra Guedes and Hower, \{James C.\}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.coal.2019.103344",

language = "English",

volume = "217",

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AU - Medunić, Gordana

AU - Grigore, Mihaela

AU - Dai, Shifeng

AU - Berti, Debora

AU - Hochella, Michael F.

AU - Mastalerz, Maria

AU - Valentim, Bruno

AU - Guedes, Alexandra

AU - Hower, James C.

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AB - The Paleocene high volatile B bituminous Raša coal, mined on the Istrian Peninsula, Croatia, for nearly 400 years up to 1999, is notable in having a superhigh organic sulfur (SHOS) content, exceeding 11% in some cases. The latter feature contributed to interest in the coal, far outweighing its status as a locally-used coal. Investigation by organic petrology, X-ray diffraction mineralogy, X-ray fluorescence and ICP-MS chemistry, SEM-EDS and TEM-EDS-SAED, micro-FTIR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy showed that the Raša coal is dominated by vitrinite-group macerals, CaO and SO3, carbonate minerals with contributions by Sr- and Ba-sulfates at the sub-micron scale, and the contribution of sulfur to the organic structure. Compared to Chinese SHOS coals and world ash, a majority of analyzed trace elements in Raša coal and ash, respectively, were depleted (up to 0.8 times), with the exception of V, Se, Sr, and Ba, which were increased 1.7 to 26 times. This fact, supported by elevated trace element concentrations in dripstone, are evidence for weathering of Raša coal by underground water, which is contaminating the local environment with trace elements, selenium in particular. Results of this study warrant further research.

KW - Coal chemistry

KW - Organic sulfur

KW - Raša

KW - Sulfur in coal

KW - Trace elements

KW - Water contamination

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Characterization of superhigh-organic-sulfur Raša coal, Istria, Croatia, and its environmental implication

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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