Thus, construction of mercury-removal system in combustion facilities including a coal-fired electrical power plant(anthracite, bituminous coal), Oil Boiler for industrial use, heavy oil incinerator, steel mill(sintering furnace, electric furnace), etc. as the main emission sources is getting attention as one of the major technologies which various industrial fields must definitely possess.

At present, what is the most used for controlling mercury and other air contaminants is activated carbon. However, in case of activated carbon, its low application scope of temperatures, slow rate of absorption, and low recycling rate, etc. are pointed out as a problem despite its high price.

Accordingly, this laboratory, in an effort to solve such problems, is conducting the research on 'Mercury-Removal System Construction using 'TiO₂ Photocatalyst.

The TiO₂ Photocatalytic system developed through this research confirmed that it's possible to remove more than 90% of elemental mercury among exhaust gases produced at an actual air pollution emission facility.
 

In addition, the system achieved more than 90% removal efficiency using much safer, less expensive fluorescent light instead of ultraviolet lamp which was used for photoactivation of TiO₂ in the past. At present, this laboratory is carrying out the system design for commercialization of this technology, and also conducting the research on inquiring into reaction mechanism.

In addition, as a technology for safely collecting the absorbed mercury, this lab is conducting the research on desorption (collection) through alcohols (TBA, NPA). In case of separately discarding photocatalyst with the absorbed mercury, there might occur secondary pollution due to the absorbed heavy metal; thus in order to overcome such a problem, this research made it possible to induce desorption of heavy metal by injecting alcohols on the surface of the photocatalyst with the absorbed mercury and to do recycling at the same time.

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