The present disclosure relates to methods for producing metal sulfide disposed on particle substrates. In at least one embodiment, a method for producing an alkali earth hydroxide particle having a metal sulfide disposed thereon includes introducing an alkali earth oxide particle with a metal sulfate to form a first composition. The method includes introducing an alkali sulfide or an alkali earth sulfide with the first composition to form a second composition. The present disclosure further relates to compositions of matter having metal sulfide disposed on a particle substrate. In at least one embodiment, a composition of matter includes an alkali earth hydroxide particle. The composition of matter includes a metal sulfide disposed on the alkali earth hydroxide particle.

A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula Tl.sub.xGd.sub.1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

An activated carbon sorbent composition comprising activated carbon and a passivation agent, wherein the activated carbon sorbent composition exhibits reduced self-heating or auto-ignition properties as compared to the activated carbon. The activated carbon sorbent composition may be utilized to sequester contaminants such as mercury from a flue gas stream. The passivation agent includes a sulfur species, and may be a sulfur oxide compound, a sulfide compound, or an organic sulfur compound. Methods for the manufacture of the activated carbon sorbent composition and for the sequestration of contaminants in a flue gas stream using the composition are also disclosed.

A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula Tl.sub.xGd.sub.1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula Tl.sub.xGd.sub.1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

Sulfur-crosslinked olefins, particularly sulfur-crosslinked heavy hydrocarbon products having one or more sulfur-crosslinked olefin moieties, may undergo pyrolysis to form sulfur-doped porous carbon having high BET surface area values. Pyrolysis to form the sulfur-doped porous carbon may be particularly efficacious in the presence of a hydroxide base. BET surface areas up to 2000 m.sup.2/g or even higher may be obtained. Such sulfur-doped porous carbon may be prepared by combining a heavy hydrocarbon product with sulfur, heating to a first temperature state to form a liquefied reaction mixture containing a sulfur-crosslinked heavy hydrocarbon, homogeneously mixing a hydroxide base with the liquefied reaction mixture, and pyrolyzing the sulfur-crosslinked heavy hydrocarbon to form sulfur-doped porous carbon.

The invention relates to absorbent compositions comprising soybean hulls and soybean hull biochar, methods of preparing such absorbent compositions, and methods of using such compositions in the preparation of articles of manufacture.

An activated carbon sorbent composition comprising activated carbon and a passivation agent, wherein the activated carbon sorbent composition exhibits reduced self-heating or auto-ignition properties as compared to the activated carbon. The activated carbon sorbent composition may be utilized to sequester contaminants such as mercury from a flue gas stream. The passivation agent includes a sulfur species, and may be a sulfur oxide compound, a sulfide compound, or an organic sulfur compound. Methods for the manufacture of the activated carbon sorbent composition and for the sequestration of contaminants in a flue gas stream using the composition are also disclosed.

This invention introduces a method of preparing a carbon-based sulfur-loading iron-containing adsorbent for mercury removal, which can solve the problems in the prior art that sulfur-rich heavy organic materials have low-value utilization and the elemental mercury in atmosphere is hard to be efficiently and economically removed by the existing mercury removal agents. A carbon-based sulfur-loading iron-containing adsorbent for mercury removal is prepared in this invention. The adsorbent with a porous structure is prepared in situ by performing steps such as chemical activation of sulfur-rich heavy organic materials that are rich in iron. The adsorbent prepared herein has good mercury removal performance in simulated coal-fired flue gas. This invention not only improves the utilization value of sulfur-rich heavy organic materials, but also prevents SO.sub.X pollution caused by the combustion of sulfur-rich heavy organic materials and controls mercury pollution in the coal-fired flue gas.

This invention provides processes for reducing the environmental availability of one or more environmental pollutants in solids, liquids, and combinations of solids and liquids.