An integrated combustion and pollutant removal method comprising the steps of: providing a furnace having at least one burner, and configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; providing an oxygen supply for supplying oxygen to said at least one burner at a predetermined purity greater than 21 percent; providing a carbon based fuel supply for supplying a carbon based fuel to said at least one burner; limiting an excess of either the oxygen or the carbon based fuel to less than 5 percent over the stoichiometric proportion; controlling the combustion of the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature in excess of 1650°C (3000 degrees F) and a flue gas stream containing CO 2 and other gases and substantially void of non-fuel borne nitrogen containing combustion produced gaseous compounds; directing said flue gas stream to an integrated pollutant removal system which includes at least one direct contact heat exchanger (28,40) in serial arrangement with at least one compressor (36,46,48,54); removing multiple pollutants including soluble pollutants and entrained particulates as well as condensable vapors in a single process before discharging said flue gas to the atmosphere by: bringing the flue gas into intimated contact with a cooling liquid in the at least one heat exchanger (28, 40) to produce a pollutant-laden liquid stream which includes soluble pollutants and entrained particulates and a stripped flue gas stream; discharging (32, 74) said pollutant laden liquid; following exit from the at least one direct contact heat exchanger (28, 40), feeding the stripped flue gas stream (34,44) into the at least one compressor (36, 46,48, 54) to compress the stripped flue gas stream in order to produce condensable vapors and non-condensable gases; condensing said condensable vapors by way of a condenser; sequestering and extracting the condensed vapors; filtering said non-condensable gases by way of a mercury filter and; accumulating the non-condensable gases from the mercury filter into an accumulator; and releasing the accumulator exhaust to the atmosphere. providing a furnace having at least one burner, and configured to substantially prevent the introduction of air; providing an oxygen supply for supplying oxygen to said at least one burner at a predetermined purity greater than 21 percent; providing a carbon based fuel supply for supplying a carbon based fuel to said at least one burner; limiting an excess of either the oxygen or the carbon based fuel to less than 5 percent over the stoichiometric proportion; controlling the combustion of the carbon based fuel to produce a flame temperature in excess of 1650°C (3000 degrees F) and a flue gas stream containing CO 2 and other gases and substantially void of non-fuel borne nitrogen containing combustion produced gaseous compounds; directing said flue gas stream to an integrated pollutant removal system which includes at least one direct contact heat exchanger (28,40) in serial arrangement with at least one compressor (36,46,48,54); removing multiple pollutants including soluble pollutants and entrained particulates as well as condensable vapors in a single process before discharging said flue gas to the atmosphere by: bringing the flue gas into intimated contact with a cooling liquid in the at least one heat exchanger (28, 40) to produce a pollutant-laden liquid stream which includes soluble pollutants and entrained particulates and a stripped flue gas stream; discharging (32, 74) said pollutant laden liquid; following exit from the at least one direct contact heat exchanger (28, 40), feeding the stripped flue gas stream (34,44) into the at least one compressor (36, 46,48, 54) to compress the stripped flue gas stream in order to produce condensable vapors and non-condensable gases; condensing said condensable vapors by way of a condenser; sequestering and extracting the condensed vapors; filtering said non-condensable gases by way of a mercury filter and; accumulating the non-condensable gases from the mercury filter into an accumulator; and releasing the accumulator exhaust to the atmosphere. bringing the flue gas into intimated contact with a cooling liquid in the at least one heat exchanger (28, 40) to produce a pollutant-laden liquid stream which includes soluble pollutants and entrained particulates and a stripped flue gas stream; discharging (32, 74) said pollutant laden liquid; following exit from the at least one direct contact heat exchanger (28, 40), feeding the stripped flue gas stream (34,44) into the at least one compressor (36, 46,48, 54) to compress the stripped flue gas stream in order to produce condensable vapors and non-condensable gases; condensing said condensable vapors by way of a condenser; sequestering and extracting the condensed vapors; filtering said non-condensable gases by way of a mercury filter and; accumulating the non-condensable gases from the mercury filter into an accumulator; and releasing the accumulator exhaust to the atmosphere.