Toxic Trace Elements: Preferential Concentration in Respirable Particles

Abstract

The toxic trace elements arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead, selenium, and thallium were found to be most concentrated in the smallest respirable particles emitted from coal-fired power plants. These elements, or their compounds, are probably volatilized during combustion and preferentially adsorb or condense onto the small particles which can most easily pass through conventional control equipment.