Iris sibirica biomass (ISBM) used
for cobalt (Co) pollution remediation was prepared by one-step pyrolysis
and employed to remove elemental mercury (Hg0) from flue
gas. Results showed that the ISBM pyrolyzed at 700 °C (ISBM700)
exhibited good Hg0 removal performance (about 86%) at 150
°C. The existence of NO and O2 facilitated the removal
of Hg0, while SO2 and water vapor inhibited
it. Characterization analysis (including N2 adsorption–desorption,
X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry) showed
that ISBM700 has a relatively higher specific surface area, a quantity
of lattice oxygen derived from well-dispersed amorphous-phase CoO
x
, and abundant oxygen functional groups.
A Mars–Maessen mechanism is thought to be involved in the Hg0 removal process. The adsorbed Hg0 could be oxidized
to HgO by the surface oxygen species derived from CoO
x
, and then, the consumed surface oxygen species can
be replenished by O2. Therefore, the Co-contaminated I. sibirica biomass (CCIB) from phytoremediation
could be utilized for Hg0 removal after being pyrolyzed
instead of any chemical modification.