Process for demetalizing a fossil fuel
US5624844A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 2, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 2, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC10G32/00
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention relates to a method of removing metals from a fossil fuel comprising the steps of contacting the fossil fuel with an oxygenase which degrades porphyrin molecules under conditions suitable for the removal of the metals from the fossil fuel; and separating the metals from the fossil fuel. Preferred embodiments of the oxygenase include heme oxygenase and cytochrome C reductase, such as cytochrome C reductase from Bacillus megaterium, Catharanthus roseuse, Escherichia coli, animal cells, plant cells or yeast cells. The cytochrome C reductase can be contacted with the fossil fuel in an aqueous medium as a substantially cell-free preparation or cell preparation. In one embodiment of the invention, the metals are recovered from the resulting metal containing stream.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.