Effect of additives on Hg2+ reduction and precipitation inhibited by sodium dithiocarbamate in simulated flue gas desulfurization solutions.

Mercury (II) (Hg(2+)) ion can be reduced by aqueous S(IV) (sulfite and/or bisulfite) species, which leads to elemental mercury (Hg(0)) emissions in wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. Numerous reports have demonstrated the high trapping efficiency of sodium dithiocarbamate over heavy metals. In this paper, a novel sodium dithiocarbamate, DTCR, was utilized as a precipitator to control Hg(2+) reduction and Hg(0) emission against S(IV) in FGD solutions. Results indicated that Hg(2+) reduction efficiency decreased dramatically while precipitation rate peaked at around 91.0% in consistence with the increment of DTCR dosage. Initial pH and temperature had great inhibitory effects on Hg(2+) reduction: the Hg(2+) removal rate gradually increased and reached a plateau along with the increment of temperature and initial pH value. Chloride played a key role in Hg(2+) reduction and precipitation reactions. When Cl(-) concentration increased from 0 to 150 mM, Hg(2+) removal rate dropped from 93.84% to 86.05%, and the Hg(2+) reduction rate remained at a low level (<7.8%). SO(4)(2-), NO(3)(-) and other common metal ions would affect the efficiency of Hg(2+) reduction and precipitation reactions in the simulated desulfurization solutions: Hg(2+) removal rate could always be above 90%, while Hg(2+) reduction rate was maintained at below 10%. The predominance of DTCR over aqueous S(IV), indicated by the results above, has wide industrial applications in FGD systems.