Development of a Cost Effective and Efficient Sorbent for Mercury Emission Control

摘要

Industries have realized inevitable need for managing mercury emissions from their emissions. Mercury is a neurotoxin and classified major hazardous air pollutant with proven potentials to harm both the human and the environment. The mercury emission management strategies have focused on both pollution prevention and pollution control strategies. The most predominant challenge facing control technologies is effective removal of all existing forms of mercury. Since sorbent-based technologies have shown promise for effective removal of in-flight mercury, most research has been directed toward increasing carbon's adsorption capacity by modifying the carbon surface structure and/or impregnating carbon with metals that are chemically reactive with the mercury. Metal impregnation, however, reduces carbons effective surface area considerably and introduces secondary problems associated with disposal of the spent carbon. Gold, similarly, is a well-known metal with strong affinity for mercury. If gold is effectively placed within the structure of the carbon, regardless of the species, mercury can be collected and later released and captured by the means of evaporation. One of the most efficient and economically sound technologies for incorporating gold within the carbon structure is the electroless gold plating. This paper presents results of a study conducted