Energy Sources Part A-recovery Utilization and Environmental Effects, Vol.32, No.5, 442-449, 2010
Preparation of Carbonaceous Heavy Metal Adsorbent from Coal Using Sulfur Impregnation
We attempted to prepare sulfur-impregnated adsorbent from coal for removal of heavy metals. A two-step process (pyrolysis and sulfur impregnation) was used. Raw coal was rapidly pyrolyzed to prepare char with a high specific surface area. It was sulfurized by H2S impregnation to obtain sulfur-impregnated char that could adsorb heavy metals. Pyrolysis char with high specific surface area can be obtained by rapid pyrolysis; sulfur can be added to rapid-pyrolysis char using H-2 gas. Sulfur-impregnated char was more effective for adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+ than raw coal, rapid-pyrolysis char, and commercial charcoal.
Keywords:carbonaceous adsorbent;H2S impregnation;rapid pyrolysis;removal of heavy metals;sulfur-impregnated char