![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081106060815im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
2003 Progress Report: Stability of Mercury in Coal Combustion By-Products and Sorbents
EPA Grant Number: R827649C020Subproject: this is subproject number 020 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827649
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Air Toxic Metals® (CATM®)
Center Director: Groenewold, Gerald
Title: Stability of Mercury in Coal Combustion By-Products and Sorbents
Investigators: Pavlish, John H. , Benson, Steven A. , Galbreath, Kevin C. , Hassett, David J. , Heebink, Loreal V. , Holmes, Michael J. , Kong, Lingbu , Laudal, Dennis L. , Mibeck, Blaise , Miller, Stanley J. , Olson, Edwin S. , Ralston, Nicholas V.C. , Thompson, Jeffrey S. , Timpe, Ronald C. , Zygarlicke, Christopher J.
Institution: University of North Dakota
EPA Project Officer: Stelz, Bill
Project Period: October 15, 1999 through October 14, 2004
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 15, 2002 through October 14, 2003
RFA: Center for Air Toxic Metals (CATM) (1998)
Research Category: Targeted Research
Description:
Objective:The objective of the research conducted by the Center for Air Toxic Metals (CATM) is to address air toxic trace element emissions, which have become a matter of worldwide concern as well as a regulatory issue in the United States. The goal of CATM is to develop key information on air toxic metal compounds to support development and implementation of pollution prevention and control strategies that will reduce air toxic metal emissions and releases to the environment.
Progress Summary:This continuing project is focused on three primary tasks with the goal of determining the mechanisms of mercury release from coal combustion byproducts (CCBs). The major focus this past year was directed toward understanding releases of mercury from microbial activity in CCBs under a disposal setting. Three ash samples were evaluated in triplicate under aerobic versus anaerobic and fed versus starved conditions. Hg0 and organomercury releases were evaluated. Results to date have been confusing, although general trends have emerged. The mercury released from the CCB slurry generally was higher in the samples fed with glucose versus starved samples and in aerobic versus anaerobic conditions.
Researchers worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an effort to determine a standard leaching protocol for environmental characterization of CCBs for environmentally sensitive elements in addition to mercury. A paper was presented at the 2003 International Ash Utilization Symposium with the intent to elevate awareness of the issues related to selection of leaching procedures.
The thermal effects on mercury vapor release were evaluated through long-term ambient release and thermal desorption at elevated temperatures. The method for determining blank values for the long-term ambient release of mercury from six ash samples previously studied under CATM was improved. This confirmed that the CCBs studied earlier acted as mercury sinks. Thermal desorption curves were determined for a large variety of samples, and attempts were made to determine if speciation of mercury forms was possible.
This is one of the research projects funded by the Center. For descriptions of the other research conducted by CATM, see the 2003 Annual Reports for R827649C006, R827649C009 through R827649C019, R827649C021, and R827649C022.
Future Activities:This project will continue in the next year.
Supplemental Keywords:air, toxic, air quality, control, modeling, database, emissions, environment, hazardous, mercury, metals, pollutants, pollution, sampling, measurement, species, transformations,
,
Toxics, Air, Scientific Discipline, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Chemical Engineering, HAPS, air toxics, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, 33/50, flue gases, continuous mercury monitoring, speciation tools, coal combustion byproducts, coal combustion waste, monitoring, mercury & mercury compounds, coal fired utility boiler , mercury , mercury, mercury speciation, sampling tools, mercury speciation and sampling, flue gas
Relevant Websites:
http://www.undeerc.org 
http://www.undeerc.org/catm/index.html
Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract
Final Report
Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R827649 Center for Air Toxic Metals® (CATM®)
Subprojects under this Center:
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827649C001 Development And Demonstration Of Trace Metals Database
R827649C002 Nickel Speciation Of Residual Oil Ash
R827649C003 Atmospheric Deposition: Air Toxics At Lake Superior
R827649C004 Novel Approaches For Prevention And Control For Trace Metals
R827649C005 Wet Scrubber System
R827649C006 Technology Commercialization And Education
R827649C007 Development Of Speciation And Sampling Tools For Mercury In Flue Gas
R827649C008 Process Impacts On Trace Element Speciation
R827649C009 Mercury Transformations in Coal Combustion Flue Gas
R827649C010 Nickel, Chromium, and Arsenic Speciation of Ambient Particulate Matter in the Vicinity of an Oil-Fired Utility Boiler
R827649C011 Transition Metal Speciation of Fossil Fuel Combustion Flue Gases
R827649C012 Fundamental Study of the Impact of SCR on Mercury Speciation
R827649C013 Development of Mercury Sampling and Analytical Techniques
R827649C014 Longer-Term Testing of Continuous Mercury Monitors
R827649C015 Long-Term Mercury Monitoring at North Dakota Power Plants
R827649C016 Development of a Laser Absorption Continuous Mercury Monitor
R827649C017 Development of Mercury Control Technologies
R827649C018 Developing SCR Technology Options for Mercury Oxidation in Western Fuels
R827649C019 Modeling Mercury Speciation in Coal Combustion Systems
R827649C020 Stability of Mercury in Coal Combustion By-Products and Sorbents
R827649C021 Mercury in Alternative Fuels
R827649C022 Studies of Mercury Metabolism and Selenium Physiology