Analysis of aromatic hydrocarbon in medium- to high-sulfur coals from Fenxi, Shanxi Province

Purpose This study aims to investigate the compositional characteristics of aromatic hydrocarbons extracted from coals and to describe how the sulfur content influences the properties of coals and whether widely accepted maturity parameters are suitable for medium- to high-sulfur coal. Design/methodology/approach Four samples of medium- to high-sulfur coal were obtained from Fenxi, Shanxi Province, and studied using gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Findings The GC-MS results showed that there were five series of compounds were identified in the aromatic fractions: naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, oxygen-containing compounds, biphenyls and sulfur-containing compounds. The substituent group was mainly methyl. The content of dibenzothiophenes was high, which was attributed to their high thermodynamic stability. The presence of sulfur reduced the content of oxygen-containing compounds. A depositional environment that facilitated the formation of organic sulfur compounds led to a higher content of naphthalenes. Originality/value The development of methods for removing organic sulfur compounds would benefit from a study of their nature, which would be important for improving the use of coal.