Application of coal fly ash in air quality management

Abstract

Although, coal fly ash is recognized as an environmental pollutant, it can be used for the removal of various gaseous pollutants under controlled conditions. A lot of work has been conducted worldwide for the utilization of fly ash for various applications. It has been found from the literature that fly ash possesses potential application in the management of air quality. The literature data revealed that fly ash can be utilized for the removal of NO x, SOx, mercury, and other gaseous pollutants from air and other sources. Fly ash can be used as a promising sorbent for the removal of various types of air pollutants; however, further research need to be taken in the laboratory and pilot plant scale. It is also indicated that fly ash contained approximately 10-12% of unburned component and these unburned components may have an important role in their removal capacity. In this article, the application of fly ash in the removal of SOx, NO x, mercury, gaseous organics, and other impurities have been discussed and some guidelines have been highlighted for their potential application. © 2012 American Chemical Society.