| Mercury emissions will be regulated in the United States through the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Mercury Rule, which starts with the first phase-cap in 2010 and ends with a final cap set in 2018, resulting in nearly 70% reductions from 1999 emission levels. Different techniques have been studied in order to obtain cost-effective mercury removal, including use of sorbents, catalysts, scrubbing liquors, flue gas or coal additives, combustion modifications, and chemical reaction. In this study, the adsorption of vapor phase elemental mercury onto the commercially produced Thief carbon and impregnated Thief carbon with ferric chloride and sodium chloride was investigated. The results indicated that the impregnation of these sorbents enhanced considerably their capacity and changed the sorption mechanism. Ferric chloride impregnated Thief carbon sorbents presented the highest sorption capacity. A sorption mechanism was suggested and and further studies will performed be to confirm it. |
