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Mercury Non-combustion
APB conducts research to determine the fate of mercury in certain parts of fuel processing and use of products/byproducts. The two areas of work are mercury in crude oil to refinery and mercury in coal combustion residues.
Mercury in Crude Oil to Refinery
Existing data on mercury in crude oil is relatively scarce and contains sufficient variability that it cannot be used to produce a credible estimate of mercury in the U.S. crude oil supply. APB has evaluated sampling and measurement techniques for measuring mercury in crude oil and has established its own analytical lab for this purpose. Samples of crude oil contributed by industry participants in the project will be analyzed for mercury content. These samples will be taken at the input to refineries and will be sampled repetitively to account for the variability from individual sources. This study will not account for mercury lost at the production or field processing sites or during transportation and this will have to be determined separately. If the mercury level in the U.S. crude oil supply is low then the area will not be pursued and efforts may switch to the U.S. gas industry. If the mercury levels are high enough to be of interest, then its points of release to specific environmental media may be determined.
Contact
For further information, contact Dave Kirchgessner (kirchgessner.dave@epa.gov, 919-541-4021)Mercury in Coal Combustion Residues (CCRs)
The Agency is developing regulations that may require mercury controls at new and existing coal-fired power plants. The impact of new regulations on CCRs is not known. Does mercury that is in the stack and gets removed through control technologies, get released during either (1) land disposal in surface impoundments, monofills, or mines and/or (2) beneficial use. What is the impact of Mercury Control Technologies on CCR use in commercial applications?
APB is committed to obtaining the data and information needed to support the program offices (both OAR and OSW) in order to answer questions posed by Congress and to provide a technical basis as input to future national policies and regulations. OAR has requested ORD's support in providing data and information needed to answer questions about potential re-release of the mercury and other metals from CCR management practices (during land disposal and use in commercial applications). OSW has also requested ORD's support to provide information needed to determine if changes are needed to current CCR management practices as a result of increased environmental risk associated with the new breed of CCRs resulting from adoption of mercury control measures. This is expected to be a multi-year effort in support of regulatory development efforts for coal-fired power plants.
The questions that need to be addressed through this research include:
- What will be the impact on CCRs for the range of control technologies being considered for coal-fired power plants for range of coal-types and combustion technologies in use? Will this impact their ability to be used in commercial applications (i.e., increased carbon content affects ability of CCRs to be used in making cement)?
- Is there any increased environmental risk due to land disposal of CCRs with increased concentrations of mercury (e.g., leaching of mercury and other metals such as arsenic due to pH changes; biological activities resulting in formation of methyl- and dimethyl-mercury)?
- Is there a potential for release of mercury for CCRs with increased levels of mercury and other metals for the variety of beneficial uses currently in place (e.g., wall board, cement, asphalt, soil amendment)?
Contact
For further information, contact Susan Thorneloe (thorneloe.susan@epa.gov, 919-541-2709)