Characteristic of mercury on the surface of ash originating from electrostatic precipitators of lignite and bituminous coal-fired power plants

Mercury concentrations in ash taken from electrostatic precipitations (ESPs) installed in bituminous coal and lignite power plants have been analyzed by the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method and leaching test supported by detailed coal and ash compositions’ analyses, surface scans and particles size distribution studies. The results showed that mercury was present on the surface of ash particles. Its concentration decreased upon increasing size of ash particles. Leaching tests showed that only small part of mercury was removed with water which suggests the fact that it occurred mostly in the form of insoluble compounds such as Hg, HgO, HgS and Hg2Cl2. There existed ash particles of the diameters from 50 to 60 μm, characterizing by the maximum capability to adsorb mercury and its compounds. The authors suggest that metals like copper and lead formed ash active centers that were preferably occupied by molecules containing atoms of mercury. It was highly possible to expect that content of these elements in ash would have a significant effect on sorption of mercury from combustion gases.