Distribution Characteristics of Total Mercury in Imported Coals at Shanghai Port

As China swings from being a net coal exporter into the world's largest coal importer, mercury in imported coals has become an increasingly significant source of atmospheric mercury pollution. The research of distribution characteristics of total mercury in imported coals could be a significant initiative for scientific assessment of the immigration risk of mercury in coal imports and protecting environment security. Based on the American Environmental Protection Agency method 7473, which is suitable for soil samples, sediments, sludge, wastewater and groundwater, total mercury concentrations in 123 imported coal samples at Shanghai Port were determined using a direct mercury analyzer. The robust statistical description of total mercury content in imported coals shows that the median of mercury concentrations in 123 imported coals is 0.043 mg/kg and the Norm IQR is 0.025 mg/kg. On the basis of Chinese coal industry standard MT/T 963—2005, the imported coals at Shanghai Port are mainly special low mercury coal and low mercury coal. It is worthy of attention that medium mercury coal and high mercury coal were found in Indonesian coals. The occurrence modes of mercury in coal affect its final emissions, which has a guiding significance on mercury removal technology. The correlation analysis of ash, sulfur and mercury content shows that the occurrence modes of mercury are mainly sulfide form in Indonesian coals and Russian coals based on the relationship between total mercury and sulfur content instead of ash content. According to the positive relationship between total mercury and sulfur content and the negative relationship between total mercury and ash content, the mercury was contained in organic matter in Canadian coals. According to the negative relationship between total mercury and sulfur content and the positive relationship between total mercury and ash content, the mercury was contained in aluminum silicate form in Australian coals. Compared to cold atomic absorption spectrometry, hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry and other traditional analysis methods, the direct mercury analyzer method for determination of mercury in coal established in this paper shorten the inspection process, improve work efficiency, and is worthy of popularization and application. The research of distribution characteristics of total mercury in imported coals could provide reference for scientific assessment of the immigration risk of mercury in imported coals and comprehensive utilization of imported coals.