While sampling a few morsels, a thought crossed his mind. With that adage in mind, Rostam-Abadi and colleagues at the University of Illinois and the Illinois State Geological Survey conducted experiments over the past four years. Tests show that pistachio shells work as well if not better than current commercial products such as activated carbon. They are also less expensive to produce. Discarded tires may also possess the properties necessary to help remove environmental contaminants.
Activated carbon used in home water filters to remove contaminants is an example of an adsorbent.
Small silica packets found in electronics packaging are another. Emissions from coal-burning power plants vary in chemical composition depending the kind of coal that is burned. In one flue gas, the adsorbents were equally effective in removing both forms of mercury. In another flue gas, the tire and pistachio carbons had nearly five times larger capacity for the adsorption of mercuric chloride than their coal-derived counterpart. Related Sites Massoud Rostam-Abadi is a professor in the environmental engineering department at the University of Illinois .