Author(s)

Majda Pavlin^1,2, Radojko Jaćimović^1,2, Andrej Stergaršek³, Peter Frkal⁴, Maja Koblar^1,5, Milena Horvat^1,2*

¹Jozef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
²Department of Environmental Sciences, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
³KEMEK d.o.o., Ljubljana, Slovenia.
⁴Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Technology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
⁵Center for Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Flue gas containing volatile elements, fine fly ash particulates not retained by particle control devices, and limestone are the most important sources of trace and major elements (TMEs) in wet flue gas desulphurization (WFGD) gypsum. In this study, samples of gypsum slurry were separated into fine and coarse fractions. Multi-elemental analysis of 45 elements in the different size fractions of gypsum, slurry waters and lignite were performed by k₀-INAA (k₀-instrumental neutron activation analyses). The study found that the volatile elements (Hg, Se and halogens) in the flue gas accumulate in the fine fractions of gypsum. Moreover, the concentrations of most TMEs are considerably higher in the fine fractions compared to the coarse fractions. The exceptions are Ca and Sr that primarily originate from the limestone. Variations of TMEs in the finer fractions are dependent on the presence of CaSO₄·2H₂O that is the main constituent of the coarse fraction. Consequently, the content of TMEs in the fine fraction is highly dependent on the efficiency of separating the fine fraction from the coarse fraction. Separation of the finer fraction, representing about 10% of the total gypsum, offers the possibility to remove effectively TMEs from WFGD slurry.

Trace and Major Elements, Wet Flue Gas Desulphurization Gypsum, Particle Size Fractions, Mercury and Selenium, Sample Preparation

Pavlin, M. , Jaćimović, R. , Stergaršek, A. , Frkal, P. , Koblar, M. and Horvat, M. (2018) Distribution and Accumulation of Major and Trace Elements in Gypsum Samples from Lignite Combustion Power Plant. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 9, 602-621. doi: 10.4236/ajac.2018.912044.