How mercury emissions from industry can be greatly reduced

Sulfuric acid is the world's most used chemical. It is an important reagent used in many industries and it is used in the manufacture of everything from paper, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to batteries, detergents and fertilizers. It is therefore a worldwide challenge that sulfuric acid often contains one of the most toxic substances—mercury. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have now developed a method that can reduce the levels of mercury in sulfuric acid by more than 90%—even from low levels.