(228c) Use of Pyrolyzed Deinked Paper Sludge As Elemental Hg Adsorbant

De-inked paper sludge (DPS) was pyrolyzed at 600°C, 750°C and 900°C in nitrogen to synthesize carbon-calcium-based adsorbents. The performance of the synthesized adsorbents for the gas-phase adsorption of elemental mercury (Hg) was investigated, and the performance was compared to that of commercially available activated carbon (BPL, Calgon Carbon Corporation). The physical and chemical properties of the pyrolyzed DPS and BPL were characterized to assess their chemical and physical differences, and those differences were used to hypothesize reasons for differences in their adsorption performance for elemental Hg.  Characterization of the adsorbents was conducted using BET surface area, X-ray diffraction, TGA, scanning electron microscopy, electron dispersion spectroscopy, and FTIR. Adsorption capacities of pyrolyzed DPS and BPL were investigated under different experimental conditions and compared to those found in literature.