REMOVAL OF MERCURY VAPOR BY IODINE IMPREGNATED ACTIVATED CARBON

Abstract

    Iodine-impregnated activated carbon (AC) was synthesized and applied to remove vaporphaseelemental mercury (Hg0). Adsorption experiments of Hg0 was tested in a laboratoryscalefixed-bed reactor for KI/AC and I2/KI/AC performances on Hg0 adsorption werecompared with AC. Effects of KI, I2 contents, and temperature were investigated tounderstand the mechanism of capturing Hg0. The results show that Hg removal efficiencyincreases with the increase of KI or I2 content and temperature in the case of iodineimpregnatedactivated carbon, while it decreases with temperature increase for activatedcarbon. Moreover, when the KI or I2 content increases, the area of carbon surface decreasedand its morphology becomes more complicated.Iodine-impregnated activated carbon has high efficiency for gas-phase Hg0 removal and the mercuryvapor adsorption process on this material complies with the chemical adsorption mechanisms.

Keyword: mercury, adsorption, impregnation, activated carbon, iodine