Surface characterization of palladium–alumina sorbents for high-temperature capture of mercury and arsenic from fuel gas

Coal gasification with subsequent cleanup of the resulting fuel gas is a way to reduce the impact of mercury and arsenic in the environment during power generation and on downstream catalytic processes in chemical production. The interactions of mercury and arsenic with Pd/Al2O3 model thin film sorbents and Pd/Al2O3 powders have been studied to determine the relative affinities of palladium for mercury and arsenic, and how they are affected by temperature and the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the fuel gas. The implications of the results on strategies for capturing the toxic metals using a sorbent bed are discussed.