Arsenic Capture and Transformation in Coal Combustion Systems
Summary
Arsenic is a ubiquitous trace element in coal and poses significant environmental and health risks when released during combustion. Within coal matrices, arsenic occurs in a variety of chemical associations—organic, sulphide, carbonate and aluminosilicate bound—that govern its behaviour under thermal stress. During combustion or pyrolysis, arsenic species volatilise predominantly as As2O3 vapour, undergo redox transformations and recondense on particulate matter or react with mineral oxides in fly ash. Capture strategies centre on sorbent addition, notably calcium‐ and iron‐based compounds, which form stable arsenate or arsenite mineral phases such as Ca3As2O8, Ca2As2O7 and FeAsO4. Wet flue gas desulfurisation systems further remove dissolved arsenic species into gypsum and other solid residues. Advances in thermodynamic modelling, equilibrium simulations and molecular‐scale calculations complement experimental studies, guiding optimisation of combustion parameters, sorbent selection and process integration. Improved understanding of flue gas composition, temperature profiles and sorbent structure has driven removal efficiencies in excess of 90 per cent. Ongoing developments address co-firing with waste materials, impact of pressure and moisture, and the design of next-generation sorbents for ultra-low emission coal conversion systems.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Arsenic Capture and Transformation in Coal Combustion Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in arsenic capture and transformation in coal combustion systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Speciation: The distribution of an element among different chemical forms or associations in a matrix.
Volatilisation: Conversion of a substance into vapour during thermal treatment.
Physisorption: Reversible adsorption of molecules on a surface via weak van der Waals forces.
Chemisorption: Irreversible adsorption involving chemical bond formation between adsorbate and surface.
Arsenite: The trivalent oxyanion AsO3³– formed under reducing or low-temperature conditions.
Arsenate: The pentavalent oxyanion AsO4³– formed under oxidising conditions.
Sorbent: A material used to capture and retain gaseous or dissolved pollutants by adsorption or reaction.
References
- The release and migration mechanism of arsenic during pyrolysis process of Chinese coals. International Journal of Coal Science & Technology (2024).
- Theoretical Study of As2O3 Adsorption Mechanisms on CaO surface. Materials (2019).
- A Role of Mineral Oxides on Trace Elements Behavior during Pulverized Coal Combustion. Minerals (2021).
- Thermodynamic research on the effect of CaO on the transformation of arsenic and sulfur in coal in different pyrolysis atmospheres. Energy Science & Engineering (2022).
- Assessment of the Applicability of Ca-Based Sorbents for Arsenic Removal from Flue Gases. Energy & Fuels (2022).
- Migration Behaviors of As, Se and Pb in Ultra-Low-Emission Coal-Fired Units and Effect of Co-Firing Sewage Sludge in CFB Boilers. Energies (2022).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.