Environmental release of mercury from coal utilization by-products: will new mercury controls at power plants make a difference?

Journal Article · Fri Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Ash at Work

OSTI ID:20638450

Aljoe, W W; Feeley, III, T J; Brickett, L A; Schroeder, K T; Murphy, J T ^[1]

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1. National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA (US)

The US Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) uses the term coal utilization by-products (CUBs) to describe the solid materials produced by the combustion or gasification of coal. The following general observations can be drawn from results of field tests that have been carried out thus far to determine whether new technologies for mercury emission control at coal power plants will affect the release of mercury from CUBs. There appears to be only minimal potential mercury release to the environment in typical disposal or utilization application for CUBs generated using ACI control technologies. There appears to be only minimal mercury release to the environment for CUBs generated using wet FGD control technologies. The amount of mercury leached from CUBs samples tested is significantly lower than the federal drinking water standards and water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life. 3 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 20638450
• Journal Information: Ash at Work, Journal Name: Ash at Work
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTIVATED CARBON
BAGHOUSES
BITUMINOUS COAL
BY-PRODUCTS
COAL
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
DESULFURIZATION
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EVAPORATION
FABRIC FILTERS
FIELD TESTS
FLUE GAS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
LEACHING
MERCURY
PARTICULATES
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
SORBENT INJECTION PROCESSES
USA
WATER QUALITY