Mercury Removal Research Articles

Mercury Removal by Carbon Materials with Emphasis on the SO2-Porosity Relationship.

Mercury is a pollutant of great global concern. Although numerous studies have been carried out for its removal from energy production processes, there are still some gaps in this field that must be filled to improve the development of adsorbents/catalysts capable of retaining it. In this study, a model material with controlled pore structure is developed to evaluate the effect of pore structure on SO2 tolerance during Hg0 adsorption. The carbon material is loaded with different active species of iron. The results show that hematite is the reactive iron species for Hg capture. In contrast to the general assumption, a well-developed microporosity is not the only textural parameter that should be considered to improve flue gas Hg retention. In fact, highly microporous materials are prone to SO2 poisoning. Therefore, the role of porosity in mercury capture in the presence of SO2 must be evaluated from a new perspective, taking into account the textural characteristics as a whole. The developed model demonstrates that a carbonized material can be as effective for mercury removal as a more expensive activated carbon material, responding to the growing demand for cost-effective technologies.

A Novel Activated Carbon-Based Composite for Enhanced Mercury Removal

In designing an optimized activated carbon-based adsorbent, several key factors are crucial for its practical application in the industrial sector, including high BET surface area, strong adsorption capacity, selectivity, mechanical and thermal stability, regeneration potential, environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness. This study explores the innovative approach of combining two chemical activating agents, potassium carbonate and sodium thiosulfate, to produce activated carbon with enhanced properties for improved mercury removal. At an activation temperature of 800 °C, the resulting adsorbent achieved a BET surface area of 2132.7 m2/g and a total pore volume of 1.08 cm3/g. Testing its mercury removal efficiency, the maximum adsorption capacity was 289 mg/g at room temperature. The Langmuir isotherm provided an excellent fit to the experimental data, indicating a monolayer adsorption process. Kinetic modeling revealed that the adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model, consistent with chemisorption. The primary removal mechanism was found to involve complexation of mercury with oxygen and sulfur-containing functional groups, along with pore-filling physical adsorption. The adsorbent also showed a strong affinity for mercury even in the presence of other competing heavy metals. Furthermore, regeneration studies demonstrated the adsorbent’s effectiveness over five cycles. This research introduces a novel, environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient adsorbent for mercury removal.

Green adsorbent from maize biomass for mercury capture: insights from sorption modeling and thermodynamic analysis

Adsorption isotherms and kinetics modeling, as well as thermodynamic analysis, are useful in providing insight into the nature and mechanisms of the adsorption process. The present study investigated the interactive behavior and mechanisms of mercury ions removal using activated carbon produced from maize biomass (bio-adsorbent). To determine the mechanism of mercury removal from the aqueous system using the activated carbon, the equilibrium adsorption isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamic studies were performed using the batch technique. Among all the isotherm models analyzed, the Langmuir isotherm model best correlated with the equilibrium sorption data of Hg(II) attained by the bio-adsorbent with a high correlation coefficient of 0.9998. The Langmuir maximum monolayer sorption capacity attained by the bio-adsorbent was 112.46 mg/g, and the dimensionless separation factor (RL) was in the range of 0.00<RL>1.001.00$$\\end{document}]]> indicating favorable biosorption. The pseudo-second-order model well fitted the experimental data of Hg(II) better than the other kinetic models with a high correlation coefficient of 0.9712, which is close to unity with an uptake capacity of 82.10 mg/g. The negative values of ΔG0 obtained from all the temperature ranges of 283–358 K indicate the spontaneous nature of Hg(II) ions removal from the adsorption system by the bio-adsorbent. The positive value of + 24.86 kJ/mol and + 8.13 kJ/mol attained for ΔH0 and ΔS0, respectively, indicates endothermic adsorption and an upsurge in disorder during the adsorptive removal of Hg(II) ions. Therefore, the study found that the activated carbon not only interacted well with the Hg(II) species in the aqueous solutions but also had a high uptake capacity. Hence, the bio-adsorbent is promising and could efficiently be applied for heavy metal remediation in aquatic environments.

Efficient mechanochemical synthesis of new fluorinated Schiff bases: a solvent-free, alternative to conventional method with mercury adsorption properties

The development of sustainable synthetic techniques is of critical importance in modern chemistry. This paper describes a mechanochemical approach to the synthesis of novel fluorinated Schiff bases via ball milling, which provides a fast, high-yield, and green alternative to conventional reflux methods. The synthesized fluorinated Schiff bases are evaluated for their adsorption capacity and efficiency in mercury removal and compared to assess their performance, demonstrating that ball milling produced compounds with comparable physical attributes to those produced via traditional solvent-based procedures. However, ball milling considerably shortened reaction time, with some reactions taking less than 5 min, and enhanced yields, reaching up to 92%, which is significantly higher than that achieved by conventional methods. The molecular structure of the synthesised Schiff bases is validated using analytical and spectroscopic techniques, including 1H, 13C NMR and mass spectroscopy, with chemical shifts confirming the expected structures. Furthermore, the thermal stability of the synthesized Schiff bases is validated up to around 250 °C, demonstrating their robustness and suitability for various applications. Given their well-established chelating properties, the selected Schiff bases (M6-M9) are studied for mercury adsorption. Structural variations, such as hydroxyl and carbonyl functionalities, are anticipated to enhance mercury binding, making these compounds potential candidates for environmental remediation. Notably, this research presents the first investigation of these specific fluorinated Schiff bases for mercury chelation, demonstrating notable adsorption for mercury and highlighting their potential in heavy metal remediation.Graphical

Kinetic and isothermal adsorption equilibrium on mercury removal by Mechanochemical elemental sulfur modified petroleum coke

Kinetic and isothermal adsorption equilibrium on mercury removal by Mechanochemical elemental sulfur modified petroleum coke

Mechanistic insights into mercury removal by FeCl3-modified ZnS: Role of oxidation and sulfur activation

Mechanistic insights into mercury removal by FeCl3-modified ZnS: Role of oxidation and sulfur activation

Development of polysulfone-based nanocomposite membranes reinforced with magnetic graphene oxide for efficient mercury and oil removal from wastewater

Development of polysulfone-based nanocomposite membranes reinforced with magnetic graphene oxide for efficient mercury and oil removal from wastewater

Using non-thermal plasma to improve elemental mercury removal efficiency of copper-containing brominated pyrolytic chars derived from waste printed circuit boards

Using non-thermal plasma to improve elemental mercury removal efficiency of copper-containing brominated pyrolytic chars derived from waste printed circuit boards

Unraveling the role of carbon coating on CoSe2 to enhance elemental mercury removal from smelting flue gas

Unraveling the role of carbon coating on CoSe2 to enhance elemental mercury removal from smelting flue gas

Preparation of FeCl3 modified wood chips hydrochar for gas phase mercury removal from flue gas

Preparation of FeCl3 modified wood chips hydrochar for gas phase mercury removal from flue gas

Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Mercury Using Piper marginatum in Ayapel, Colombia

The main problem associated with mining is the release of heavy metals into the environment, impacting the soil and overall environment. Mercury is one of the most contaminating heavy metals. It is present in soils, sediments, surface water, and groundwater. The objective of this research was to evaluate the phytoremediation carried out by the native plant Piper marginatum, in soils contaminated by mercury in an experimental lot in the municipality of Ayapel, where artisanal and small-scale gold mining is carried out. A soil phytoremediation process was carried out at a field scale using the plant species Piper marginatum in a 2.4 ha plot historically contaminated by gold mining, located in Ayapel, Colombia. A completely randomized experimental design was used with nine experimental plots, which were planted with Piper marginatum, and three controls, without planting. Through an initial soil sampling, the physicochemical characteristics and total mercury content in this matrix were determined. Piper marginatum seedlings were planted in the experimental plots and remained in the field for a period of six months. The plant biomass was collected and a final soil sampling was performed for total mercury analysis to determine the total percentage of mercury removal. The results obtained indicated mercury concentrations in soils ranging from 40.80 to 52,044.4 µg kg−1 in the experimental plots and ranged from 55.9 to 2587.4 µg kg−1 in the controls. In the plots planted with Piper marginatum, a 37.3% decrease in total mercury was achieved, while in the plots without planting there was a 23.5% increase. In plants, the average T Hg concentrations in the roots, stems, and leaves were 109.2 µg kg−1, 80.6 µg kg−1, and 122.6 µg kg−1, respectively. An average BCF &lt; 1 and an average TF &gt; 1 were obtained.

Stress Sensitivity of Tight Sandstone Reservoirs Under the Effect of Pore Structure Heterogeneity

The effect of the pore–fracture structure on the porosity and permeability affects the production process of tight sandstone gas. In this paper, 12 groups of tight sandstone samples are selected as the object, and the pore–fracture volume of a tight reservoir is quantitatively characterized by a high-pressure mercury injection test. The multifractal and single fractal characteristics of different types of samples are calculated by fractal theory. On this basis, the pore volume variation under stress is discussed through the overlying pressure pore permeability test, and the pore–fracture compressibility is calculated. Finally, the main factors affecting the stress sensitivity of tight sandstone are summarized from the two aspects of the pore structure and mineral composition. The results are as follows. (1) The samples could be divided into types A and B by using the mercury-in and mercury-out curves. There is a significant hysteresis loop in the mercury inlet and outlet curves of type A, and the efficiency of the mercury inlet and outlet in the pores is relatively higher. The mercury removal curve of type B is almost parallel, and its mercury removal efficiency is relatively lower. (2) The applicability of singlet fractals in characterizing the heterogeneity of micropores is higher than that of multifractals. This is because the single fractal characteristics of the two types of samples have significant differences, while the differences in the multifractals are relatively weak. (3) A pore diameter of 100–1000 nm provides the main compression space for the type A samples. A pore distribution heterogeneity of 100–1000 nm affects the compression effect and stress sensitivity of this type B sample.

Hierarchically Structured Hollow Fiber Membranes for Efficient, Selective, and Scalable Mercury Ion Removal from Water.

Mercury ions (Hg2+) pose serious threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health due to their high toxicity and bioaccumulation. Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) nanoparticles, which contain soft Lewis base groups interact strongly with the soft Lewis acid Hg2+, demonstrating excellent adsorption performance and chemical stability. However, traditional methods typically involve dispersing SPAN nanoparticles in water or coating them on substrates, leading to uneven distribution, poor material stability, and potential secondary pollution. To overcome challenges in mercury removal, this study presents a highly selective, regenerable, and structurally stable SPAN-integrated hollow fiber membrane fabricated by wet spinning. The hierarchical structure significantly improves pore architecture, adsorption capacity, and long-term stability. The membrane achieves an initial Hg2+ removal efficiency of 98.31% and retains ≈99.7% efficiency after five regeneration cycles. When integrated into a scalable purification device, it removes 90.94% of Hg2+ from water with an initial Hg2+ concentration of 4.69 mg L-1. This work offers a novel, sustainable, and cost-effective approach for large-scale mercury remediation.

Removal of Mercury from Aqueous Environments Using Polyurea-Crosslinked Calcium Alginate Aerogels.

The removal of mercury(II) from aquatic environments using polyurea-crosslinked calcium alginate (X-alginate) aerogels was investigated through batch-type experiments, focusing on low mercury concentrations (50-180 μg·L-1), similar to those found in actual contaminated environments. Within this concentration range, the metal retention was very high, ranging from 85% to quantitative (adsorbent dosage: 0.6 g L-1). The adsorption process followed the Langmuir isotherm model with a sorption capacity of 4.4 mmol kg-1 (883 mg kg-1) at pH 3.3. Post-adsorption analysis with EDS confirmed the presence of mercury in the adsorbent and the replacement of calcium in the aerogel matrix. Additionally, coordination/interaction with other functional groups on the adsorbent surface may occur. The adsorption kinetics were best described by the pseudo-first-order model, indicating a diffusion-controlled mechanism and relatively weak interactions. The adsorbent was regenerated via washing with a Na2EDTA solution and reused at least three times without substantial loss of sorption capacity. Furthermore, X-alginate aerogels were tested for mercury removal from an industrial wastewater sample (pH 7.75) containing 61 μg·L-1 mercury (and competing ions), achieving 71% metal retention. These findings, along with the stability of X-alginate aerogels in natural waters and wastewaters, highlight their potential for sustainable mercury removal applications.

Cutting-edge nanotechnology approaches for efficient mercury remediation: Mechanisms, innovations and future prospects in polluted environments.

Cutting-edge nanotechnology approaches for efficient mercury remediation: Mechanisms, innovations and future prospects in polluted environments.

Ultra-low temperature removal of element mercury in coal-fired flue gas by activated carbon

Ultra-low temperature removal of element mercury in coal-fired flue gas by activated carbon

An innovative composite Mn/Ti photocatalysts developed for the removal of elemental mercury and nitric oxide

An innovative composite Mn/Ti photocatalysts developed for the removal of elemental mercury and nitric oxide

Effective of mercury (II) removal from contaminated water using an innovative nanofiber membrane: Kinetics, isotherms, and optimization studies.

Effective of mercury (II) removal from contaminated water using an innovative nanofiber membrane: Kinetics, isotherms, and optimization studies.

Eco-friendly alginate–sulfonated bagasse biochar/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 nanocomposite for efficient mercury(II) removal: Synthesis, mechanism, and regeneration performance

Eco-friendly alginate–sulfonated bagasse biochar/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 nanocomposite for efficient mercury(II) removal: Synthesis, mechanism, and regeneration performance

Co-doped CeMnO3 perovskite for NO catalytic oxidation and co-benefit of elemental mercury removal from oxy-fuel combustion flue gas

Co-doped CeMnO3 perovskite for NO catalytic oxidation and co-benefit of elemental mercury removal from oxy-fuel combustion flue gas