Role of Surface Functional Groups in the Capture of Elemental Mercury andMercuric Chloride by Activated Carbons

摘要

The role of acidic and alkaline surface functional groups (SFG) in the capture ofmercuric chloride and elemental mercury in nitrogen prior to flue gas atmosphere studies was studied using a laboratory-scale, fixed bed apparatus. The study focused on two activated carbons with different physical and chemical characteristics. The activated carbons were treated with acid and alkaline washes to neutralize their alkaline and acidic SFG, respectively. Energy Dispersive X ray Spectroscopy (EDXS) analysis confirmed the existence of a correlation between the increase in mercury chloride and mercury (element) uptake of acid-treated activated carbon to the increase in surface Cl sites. These sites were strongly bonded to the surface of carbon. It was determined that acidic and alkaline SFG play no role in the adsorption of mercury (element) and mercury chloride by activated carbons.