Characterization of mercury-enriched coal combustion residues from electric utilities using enhanced sorbents for mercury control
- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
This report evaluates changes that may occur to coal-fired power plant air pollution control residues from the use of activated carbon and other enhanced sorbents for reducing air emissions of mercury and evaluates the potential for captured pollutants leaching during the disposal or use of these residues. Leaching of mercury, arsenic, and selenium during land disposal or beneficial use of coal combustion residues (CCRs) is the environmental impact pathway evaluated in this report. Coal combustion residues refer collectively to fly ash and other air pollution control solid residues generated during the combustion of coal collected through the associated air pollution control system. This research is part of an on-going effort by US Environmental protection Agency (EPA) to use a holistic approach to account for the fate of mercury and other metals in coal throughout the life-cycle stages of CCR management. This report focuses on facilities that use injected sorbents for mercury control. It includes four facilities with activated carbon injection (ACI) and two facilities using brominated ACI. Fly ash has been obtained from each facility with and without operation of the sorbent injection technology for mercury control. Each fly ash sampled was evaluated in the laboratory for leaching as a function of pH and liquid-to-solid ratio. Mercury, arsenic and selenium were the primary constituent of interest; results for these elements are presented here. 30 refs., 30 figs., 14 tabs., 10 apps.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 20885797
- Report Number(s):
- EPA-600-R-06-008; ep-c-04-023; TRN: 070500475
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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