Ab Initio Thermochemistry Involving Heavy Atoms: An Investigation of the Reactions Hg + IX (X = I, Br, Cl, O)

Chemistry of Trace Inorganic Elements in Coal Combustion Systems: A Century of Discovery

Coal fueled the Industrial Revolution and the global expansion of electrification in the 20^th century. In the 21st century, coal use has declined in North America and Europe, but continues to increase in Asia. Coal contains many of the elements of the Periodic Table, in percent-levels or in trace amounts (ppm, ppb). The impact of many of these elements on the environment via air and water discharges from coal-fired plants has been studied with decades of research on their chemical transformations within combustion systems and on their fates upon reintroduction into the environment. The transformations of the trace elements present in coal burned during combustion can be categorized as thermal volatilizations from the coal in the furnace; thermal decomposition of trace element compounds inside the coal; encapsulation inside ash structures through high-temperature vitrification; oxidation of the trace elements with the myriad species contained in flue gas through gas phase (homogeneous) reactions or catalytic (gas-solid) reactions; adsorption and/or reactions with active sites on entrained fly ash particulates contained in the flue gas; and absorption into solutions. These transformations can, in many cases, impact the fraction of these trace elements that are removed by various pollution control devices compared to the fraction released into the environment. The sampling and measurement of trace elements, in the inlet coal, outlet flue gas, aqueous scrubber solutions, and ash matrices, represents a significant challenge. This review focuses on the behavior of trace elements in industrial coal combustion systems with an emphasis on what has been learned over the past century uniquely related to the use of coal in boilers for electricity and heat production. Key accomplishments in measurement, modeling and control of trace element emissions in coal-fired systems are highlighted.

First kinetic study of the atmospherically important reactions BrHg˙ + NO2 and BrHg˙ + HOO

We use computational chemistry to determine the rate constants and product yields for the reactions of BrHg˙ with the atmospherically abundant radicals NO₂ and HOO. The reactants, products, and well-defined transition states are characterized using CCSD(T) with large basis sets. The potential energy profiles for the barrierless addition of HOO and NO₂ to BrHg˙ are characterized using CASPT2 and RHF-CCSDT, and the rate constants are computed as a function of temperature and pressure using variational transition state theory and master equation simulations. The calculated rate constant for the addition of NO₂ to BrHg˙ is larger than that for the addition of HOO by a factor of up to two under atmospheric conditions. For the reaction of HOO with BrHg˙ the addition reaction entirely dominates competing HOO + BrHg˙ reaction channels. The addition of NO₂ to BrHg˙ initially produces both BrHgNO₂ and BrHgONO, but after a few seconds under atmospheric conditions the sole product is syn-BrHgONO. A previously unsuspected reaction channel for BrHg˙ + NO₂ competes with the addition to yield Hg + BrNO₂. This reaction reduces the mercury oxidation state in BrHg˙ from Hg(i) to Hg(0) and slows the atmospheric oxidation of Hg(0). While the rate constant for this reduction channel is not well-constrained by the present calculations, it may be as much as 18% as large as the oxidation channel under some atmospheric conditions. As no experimental kinetic or product yield data are available for the reactions studied here, this work will provide guidance for atmospheric modelers and experimental kineticists.

Atmospheric mercury in the Canadian Arctic. Part I: a review of recent field measurements

Long-range atmospheric transport and deposition are important sources of mercury (Hg) to Arctic aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. We review here recent progress made in the study of the transport, transformation, deposition and reemission of atmospheric Hg in the Canadian Arctic, focusing on field measurements (see Dastoor et al., this issue for a review of modeling studies on the same topics). Redox processes control the speciation of atmospheric Hg, and thus impart an important influence on Hg deposition, particularly during atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs). Bromine radicals were identified as the primary oxidant of atmospheric Hg during AMDEs. Since the start of monitoring at Alert (NU) in 1995, the timing of peak AMDE occurrence has shifted to earlier times in the spring (from May to April) in recent years, and while AMDE frequency and GEM concentrations are correlated with local meteorological conditions, the reasons for this timing-shift are not understood. Mercury is subject to various post-depositional processes in snowpacks and a large portion of deposited oxidized Hg can be reemitted following photoreduction; how much Hg is deposited and reemitted depends on geographical location, meteorological, vegetative and sea-ice conditions, as well as snow chemistry. Halide anions in the snow can stabilize Hg, therefore it is expected that a smaller fraction of deposited Hg will be reemitted from coastal snowpacks. Atmospheric gaseous Hg concentrations have decreased in some parts of the Arctic (e.g., Alert) from 2000 to 2009 but at a rate that was less than that at lower latitudes. Despite numerous recent advances, a number of knowledge gaps remain, including uncertainties in the identification of oxidized Hg species in the air (and how this relates to dry vs. wet deposition), physical-chemical processes in air, snow and water-especially over sea ice-and the relationship between these processes and climate change.

Development and application of the analytical energy gradient for the normalized elimination of the small component method

The analytical energy gradient of the normalized elimination of the small component (NESC) method is derived for the first time and implemented for the routine calculation of NESC geometries and other first order molecular properties. Essential for the derivation is the correct calculation of the transformation matrix U relating the small component to the pseudolarge component of the wavefunction. The exact form of ∂U/∂λ is derived and its contribution to the analytical energy gradient is investigated. The influence of a finite nucleus model and that of the picture change is determined. Different ways of speeding up the calculation of the NESC gradient are tested. It is shown that first order properties can routinely be calculated in combination with Hartree-Fock, density functional theory (DFT), coupled cluster theory, or any electron correlation corrected quantum chemical method, provided the NESC Hamiltonian is determined in an efficient, but nevertheless accurate way. The general applicability of the analytical NESC gradient is demonstrated by benchmark calculations for NESC/CCSD (coupled cluster with all single and double excitation) and NESC/DFT involving up to 800 basis functions.

The role of iodine monochloride for the oxidation of elemental mercury

The removal of Hg(0) by the homogenous gas-phase reaction and particle-induced reaction was investigated under various conditions. Iodine monochloride was found to be efficient for Hg(0) oxidation, with the apparent 2nd-order rate constant of about 10.5(±0.3)×10(-17) cm(3) molecules(-1) s(-1) and 5.7(±0.3)×10(-17) cm(3) molecules(-1) s(-1) at 273 K and 373 K, respectively. The pilot-scale tests showed that the removal of Hg(0) by ICl increased significantly in presence of flyash. It was predicted that over 90% of Hg(0) removal efficiency can be obtained with 0.2 ppmv ICl and 20 g/m(3) flyash in flue gas. Though the reaction between Hg(0) and ICl was by far faster than that of Hg(0)/Cl(2), the major product was found to be HgCl(2) rather than HgI(2), which implicated that iodine might partly act as the accelerant in Hg(0) oxidation by facilitating the formation of certain intermediates. The results indicated that using ICl to oxidize elemental mercury in coal-fired flue gas can save the consumption of iodine, and it appeared to be a promising oxidant to enhance the removal of Hg(0).

Reaction of gaseous mercury with molecular iodine, atomic iodine, and iodine oxide radicals — Kinetics, product studies, and atmospheric implications

Mercury is present in the Earth’s atmosphere mainly in elemental form. The chemical transformation of mercury in the atmosphere may influence its bioaccumulation in the human food chain as well as its global cycling. We carried out the first kinetic and product studies of the reactions of gaseous mercury with molecular iodine, atomic iodine, and iodine oxide radicals at tropospheric pressure (~740 Torr) and 296 ± 2 K in air and in N2 (1 Torr = 133.322 4 Pa; 0 °C = 273.15 K). Atomic iodine was formed using UV photolysis of CH2I2. IO radicals were formed by the UV photolysis of CH2I2 in the presence of ozone The reaction kinetics were studied using absolute rate techniques with gas chromatographic and mass spectroscopic detection (GC–MS). The measured rate coefficient for the reaction of Hg0 with I2 was ≤ (1.27 ± 0.58) × 10–19 cm3 molecule–1 s–1. The reaction products were analyzed in the gas phase from the suspended aerosols and from deposits on the walls of the reaction chambers using six complementary methods involving chemical ionization and electron impact mass spectrometry, GC–MS, a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer, a cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometer (CVAFS), and a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) coupled to an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The major reaction products identified were HgI2, HgO, and HgIO or HgOI. The implications of the results are discussed with regards to both the chemistry of atmospheric mercury and its potential implications in the biogeochemical cycling of mercury.Key words: mercury, molecular iodine, atomic iodine, iodine oxide radicals kinetics, product study, atmospheric chemistry.

Aqueous Microsolvation of Mercury Halide Species†

The effects of aqueous solvation on the thermochemistry of reactions between mercury and small halogen molecules has been investigated by the microsolvation approach using ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The structures, vibrational frequencies, and binding energies of 1, 2, and 3 water molecules with mercury-halide (HgBr2, HgBrCl, HgCl2, HgBr, and HgCl) and related mercury and halogen species (Br2, BrCl, Cl2, Cl, Hg, and Br) have been computed with second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) and the B3LYP density functional method. Accurate incremental water binding energies have been obtained at the complete basis set (CBS) limit using sequences of correlation consistent basis sets, including higher order correlation effects estimated from coupled cluster calculations. The resulting energetics were used to calculate the influence of water molecules on the thermochemistry of a number of reactions between mercury and small halogen-containing molecules. In general, the presence of water favors the formation of oxidized mercury halide species.

On the spectroscopic and thermochemical properties of ClO, BrO, IO, and their anions

A coupled cluster composite approach has been used to accurately determine the spectroscopic constants, bond dissociation energies, and heats of formation for the X1(2)II(3/2) states of the halogen oxides ClO, BrO, and IO, as well as their negative ions ClO-, BrO-, and IO-. After determining the frozen core, complete basis set (CBS) limit CCSD(T) values, corrections were added for core-valence correlation, relativistic effects (scalar and spin-orbit), the pseudopotential approximation (BrO and IO), iterative connected triple excitations (CCSDT), and iterative quadruples (CCSDTQ). The final ab initio equilibrium bond lengths and harmonic frequencies for ClO and BrO differ from their accurate experimental values by an average of just 0.0005 A and 0.8 cm-1, respectively. The bond length of IO is overestimated by 0.0047 A, presumably due to an underestimation of molecular spin-orbit coupling effects. Spectroscopic constants for the spin-orbit excited X2(2)III(1/2) states are also reported for each species. The predicted bond lengths and harmonic frequencies for the closed-shell anions are expected to be accurate to within about 0.001 A and 2 cm-1, respectively. The dissociation energies of the radicals have been determined by both direct calculation and through use of negative ion thermochemical cycles, which made use of a small amount of accurate experimental data. The resulting values of D0, 63.5, 55.8, and 54.2 kcal/mol for ClO, BrO, and IO, respectively, are the most accurate ab initio values to date, and those for ClO and BrO differ from their experimental values by just 0.1 kcal/mol. These dissociation energies lead to heats of formation, DeltaH(f) (298 K), of 24.2 +/- 0.3, 29.6 +/- 0.4, and 29.9 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol for ClO, BrO, and IO, respectively. Also, the final calculated electron affinities are all within 0.2 kcal/mol of their experimental values. Improved pseudopotential parameters for the iodine atom are also reported, together with revised correlation consistent basis sets for this atom.

Chemically Accurate Thermochemistry of Cadmium: An ab Initio Study of Cd + XY (X = H, O, Cl, Br; Y = Cl, Br)

Using a composite coupled cluster method employing sequences of correlation consistent basis sets for complete basis set (CBS) extrapolations and with explicit treatment of core-valence correlation and scalar and spin-orbit relativistic effects, the 0 K enthalpies of a wide range of cadmium-halide reactions, namely, Cd + (HCl, HBr, ClO, BrO, Cl2, BrCl, Br2) have been determined to an estimated accuracy of +/-1 kcal/mol. In addition, accurate equilibrium geometries, harmonic frequencies, and dissociation energies have been calculated at the same level of theory for all the diatomic (e.g., CdH, CdO, CdCl, CdBr) and triatomic (CdHCl, CdHBr, CdClO, CdBrO, CdCl2, CdBrCl, CdBr2) species involved in these reactions, some for the very first time. Like their mercury analogues, all of the abstraction reactions are predicted to be endothermic, while the insertion reactions are strongly exothermic with the formation of stable linear, Cd-centric complexes. With the exception of CdH and the reactions involving this species, the present results for the remaining Cd-containing systems are believed to be the most accurate to date.

Photodissociation of the BrO radical using velocity map ion imaging: Excited state dynamics and accurate D00(BrO) evaluation

We have studied the photodissociation dynamics of expansion-cooled BrO radical both above (278-281.5 nm) and below (355 nm) the A (2)Pi(3/2) state threshold using velocity map ion imaging. A recently developed late-mixing flash pyrolytic reactor source was utilized to generate an intense BrO radical molecular beam. The relative electronic product branching ratios at 355 nm and from 278 to 281.5 nm were determined. We have investigated the excited state dynamics based on both the product branching and the photofragment angular distributions. We find that above the O((1)D(2)) threshold the contribution of the direct excitation to states other than the A (2)Pi(3/2) state and the role of curve crossing is considerably larger in BrO compared to that observed for ClO, in agreement with recent theoretical studies. The measurement of low velocity photofragments resulting from photodissociation just above the O((1)D(2)) threshold provides an accurate and direct determination of the A (2)Pi(3/2) state dissociation threshold of 35418+/-35 cm(-1), leading to a ground state bond energy of D(0)(0)(BrO)=55.9+/-0.1 kcal/mol.