The microbial ecology of different Spanish coal samples has been studied. S
everal bacteria have been isolated from enrichment cultures and characteris
ed and their biodesulphurization abilities evaluated. Using morphological a
nd physiological properties, different isolates have been related to specie
s of the Xanthomonas, Pseudomonas, Chryseomonas and Moraxella genera. Some
of the isolates, B(30)15 and T(30)10, gave important levels of organic desu
lphurization, close to 70%. Other isolates, B(30)7 and B(30)8, were able to
remove inorganic sulphur with high efficiencies, over 67%. One of the isol
ates, B(30)10, metabolically related to Xanthomonas maltophila, was able to
remove both organic and inorganic sulphur at neutral pH, with efficiencies
of 69% and 68% respectively. The results obtained underline the potential
use of some of these strains for industrial coal desulphurization processes
.