Biocatalytic removal of nickel and vanadium from petroporphyrins and asphaltenes

Asphaltenes from a crude oil rich in heavy metals (Castilla crude oil) were fractionated and partially characterized. Biocatalytic modifications of these fractionated asphaltenes by three different hemoproteins: chloroperoxidase (CPO), cytochrome C peroxidase (Cit-C), and lignin peroxidase (LPO) were evaluated in both aqueous buffer and organic solvents. The reactions were carried out in aqueous buffers, ternary systems of toluene: isopropanol:water, and aqueous-miscible organic solvent solutions with petroporphyrins as substrate. The petroporphyrins were more soluble in the ternary systems and aqueous miscible-organic solvent systems than in the aqueous buffer systems. However, only the CPO-mediated reactions were effective in eliminating the Soret peak in both aqueous and organic solvent systems. The effects of CPO-mediated reactions on the release of the metals complexed with the porphyrins and asphaltenes were also determined. Chloroperoxidase was able to alter components in the heavy fractions of petroleum and remove 53 and 27% of total heavy metals (Ni and V, respectively) from petroporphyrin-rich fractions and asphaltenes.