# Mercury Removal by Carbon Materials with Emphasis on the SO2–Porosity Relationship

## TL;DR

This paper explores how carbon materials with specific pore structures can effectively remove mercury, even in the presence of sulfur dioxide.

## Contribution

The study introduces a model material with controlled pore structure to evaluate mercury capture efficiency and SO2 tolerance.

## Key findings

- Hematite is identified as the reactive iron species for mercury capture.
- Highly microporous materials are prone to SO2 poisoning.
- A carbonized material can be as effective as more expensive activated carbon for mercury removal.

## Abstract

Mercury is a pollutant of great global concern. Although numerous studies have been carried out for its removal from energy production processes, there are still some gaps in this field that must be filled to improve the development of adsorbents/catalysts capable of retaining it. In this study, a model material with controlled pore structure is developed to evaluate the effect of pore structure on SO2 tolerance during Hg0 adsorption. The carbon material is loaded with different active species of iron. The results show that hematite is the reactive iron species for Hg capture. In contrast to the general assumption, a well‐developed microporosity is not the only textural parameter that should be considered to improve flue gas Hg retention. In fact, highly microporous materials are prone to SO2 poisoning. Therefore, the role of porosity in mercury capture in the presence of SO2 must be evaluated from a new perspective, taking into account the textural characteristics as a whole. The developed model demonstrates that a carbonized material can be as effective for mercury removal as a more expensive activated carbon material, responding to the growing demand for cost‐effective technologies.

The effect of textural properties on the Hg/SO2 relationship is key to developing cost‐effective technologies for mercury removal in energy production processes. Furthermore, the developed model material, with a hierarchically controlled pore structure, provides new insights that can be applied to other carbon‐based adsorbents/catalysts in different applications.© 2025 WILEY‐VCH GmbH