On Site Mercury Remediation via Activated Fly Ash

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Coal-fired power plants and burners are vital drivers of the U.S. economy-but they unfortunately produce substantial amounts of mercury (Hg) that are seriously harmful to human health, particularly linked to damages ofthe nervous system. Healthcare costs due to Hg exposure are estimated to be in the billions of dollars annually. New mercury-emission regulations (effective 2015) set a strict Hg cap of 1.3x10-2lb/GWh for existing electrical generating units (EGUs), whichrepresents a challenge for the power-generation industry since 40% of today's units do not have adequate mercury pollution control equipment. The most reliable and widely utilized solution for mercury capture from power plants is exhaustive activated carbon injection (ACI), for which sorbent recurring costs are at least 5,000 per pound of Hg removed. The development of a new, cost-effective Hg-capture technology is crucial to mitigate human health risks and associated national healthcare costs, and to