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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #236684
Title: Poultry Manure as Raw Material for Mercury Adsorbents in Gas Applications

Author
item Klasson, K Thomas
item Lima, Isabel
item Boihem, Larry

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2009
Publication Date: 8/17/2009
Citation: Klasson, K.T., Lima, I.M., Boihem, L.L. 2009. Poultry Manure as Raw Material for Mercury Adsorbents in Gas Applications. Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 18:562-569.

Interpretive Summary: The quantity of poultry manure generated each year is large and technologies that take advantage of the material should be explored. At the same time, increased emphasis on reduction of mercury emissions from coal fired electric power plants have resulted in environmental regulations that may in the future require application of activated carbons as mercury sorbents. The sorbents could be injected into the flue gas stream where it adsorbs the mercury. The sorbent (now containing mercury) would be removed via filtration or other means from the flue gas. Our preliminary work has demonstrated that activated carbon made from poultry manure can adsorb mercury from air with good efficiency. In laboratory experiments, an activated carbon made from turkey cake manure removed over 80% of elemental mercury from an 120 degree C air stream. Other activated carbons made from chicken and turkey litter manure were also efficient. In general, unwashed activated carbons made from the poultry manure were more efficient in removing mercury than their acid-washed counter parts. The results suggest that the mercury adsorption was mainly due to chemisorption on the surface of the carbon.

Technical Abstract: The quantity of poultry manure generated each year is large and technologies that take advantage of the material should be explored. At the same time, increased emphasis on reduction of mercury emissions from coal fired electric power plants have resulted in environmental regulations that may in the future require use of special carbons materials as mercury sorbents. The materials could be injected into the flue gas stream where it soak up the mercury. The sorbent (now containing mercury) would be removed via filtration or other means from the flue gas. Our initial work has demonstrated that activated carbon made from poultry manure can adsorb mercury from air with good efficiency. In laboratory experiments, an activated carbon made from turkey cake manure removed over 80% of mercury from a warm air stream. Other activated carbons made from chicken and turkey litter manure were also efficient. In general, unwashed special carbons made from the poultry manure were more efficient in removing mercury than their washed counter parts. The results suggest that the mercury adsorption was mainly due to chemical interaction between mercury and the surface of the carbon.