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Comparative method studies for the speciation and quantification of mercury in flue gas from coal-fired boilers

Conference ·
OSTI ID:20013003
The goal of the work presented in this paper was the speciation and quantification of various chemical forms of mercury in coal flue gas. To this end, comparative bench-scale and pilot-scale evaluations were carried out on the Ontario-Hydro Method, EPA Method 29 and various modifications of the Ontario-Hydro Method to determine their capability to selectively isolate and quantify various mercury species. All methods under study utilized impinger trains configured in a manner similar to those used in EPA Method 29. The impingers immediately down-stream of the heated sampling probe and filter box contained solutions intended to capture oxidized (ionic) mercury while impingers further downstream of these contained acidic potassium permanganate (KMnO{sub 4}). These latter solutions, having been shown by the EPA in their Method 101A studies to capture all forms of mercury, were utilized here to capture the remaining elemental mercury. The challenge was to develop, test and validate an oxidized mercury capture solution that would effectively capture and retain all of the oxidized mercury species while allowing 100% of the elemental mercury to pass through it and be captured down-stream in the KMnO{sub 4} impinger solutions.
Research Organization:
Advanced Technology Systems, Inc., Monroeville, PA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-93PC92583
OSTI ID:
20013003
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English