The paper discusses current efforts to improve the uptake of mercury species by increasing active sites and adding oxiditive species to the sorbent. (NOTE: Previous work showed that mercury chloride vapor is readily absorbed by calcium-based sorbents as an acid gas in environments typical of coal-fired boiler flue gas, white elemental mercury vapor is absorbed by calcium-based sorbents only when sulfur oxides are also present.) Preparation of modified lime and silica-lime sorbents and their behavior toward mercury species are compared to those of commercially available lime on a fixed-bed bench reactor. The implications of findings toward development of mutipollutant control technologies and planned field toward development of multipollutant control technologies and planned field pilot evaluations of more multipollutant control concepts are discussed.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 9-10). Sponsored by EPA, Office of Research and Development, Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division. Microfiche.