Gas stream treatment process

1. A process of treating a gas stream containing mercury, comprising: applying a composition into said gas stream ahead of a particulate matter collection device, in order to adsorb at least a portion of a mercury containing compound, wherein said composition comprises a compound having the following formula (SiO 2 ) x (OH) y M z S a F: wherein M is at least one of the following metal or metalloid cations: boron, magnesium, aluminum, calcium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, palladium, silver, cadmium, tin, platinum, gold, and bismuth; wherein S is a sulfur-based species selected from at least one of the following: sulfide salts selected from sodium sulfide, potassium sulfide, and metal sulfide, dithiocarbamates selected from dimethyldithiocarbamate and diethyldithiocarbamate, polymer-based dithiocarbamates containing the functional group R n CS 2 wherein R is an alkyl group which is linear or branched, and polysulfide salts selected from sodium polysulfide and calcium polysulfide; wherein M and S are embedded within the composition; F is an optional component and if present comprises at least one of the following: a functionalized organosilane, a sulfur-containing organosilane, an amine-containing organosilane, and an alkyl-containing organosilane at a surface area coverage of 0.01-100%; (iv) the molar ratio of y/x is equal to about 0.01 to about 0.5 and the molar ratio of x/z is equal to about 3 to about 300 if SiO 2 is present, and if SiO 2 is absent X is 0 and Z is 1; and (v) the molar ratio of a/z is about 0.5 to about 5.

2. A process of treating a gas stream containing mercury, comprising: applying a composition into said gas stream ahead of a particulate matter collection device, in order to adsorb at least a portion of a mercury containing compound, wherein said composition comprises an amorphous compound having the following formula (SiO 2 ) x (OH) y M z S a F: wherein M comprises copper and optionally one or more of the following metal or metalloid cations: boron, magnesium, aluminum, calcium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, palladium, silver, cadmium, tin, platinum, gold, and bismuth; wherein S is a sulfur-based species comprising a polysulfide salt and optionally a sulfide salt selected from sodium sulfide, potassium sulfide, and metal sulfide, dithiocarbamates selected from dimethyldithiocarbamate and diethyldithiocarbamate, and polymer-based dithiocarbamates containing the functional group R n CS 2 wherein R is an alkyl group which is linear or branched; F is an optional component and if present comprises at least one of the following: a functionalized organosilane, a sulfur-containing organosilane, an amine-containing organosilane, and an alkyl-containing organosilane at a surface area coverage of 0.01-100%; (iv) the molar ratio of y/x is equal to about 0.01 to about 0.5 and the molar ratio of x/z is equal to about 0.1 to about 300 if SiO 2 is present, and if SiO 2 is absent X is 0 and Z is 1; and (v) the molar ratio of a/z is about 0.5 to about 5.

3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising adsorbing or oxidizing at least a portion of the at least one mercury compound or species.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein said particulate matter collection device is one or more of the following devices: electrostatic precipitation (ESP), filtration, inertial separation, baghouse, cyclone, and spray drier absorber or wet flue gas desulfurizer.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said gas stream derives from a heat generating system and wherein said heat generating system is at least one of the following: a combustion system; a power plant combustion system; a coal combustion system; a waste incineration system; a kiln; a kiln for mining operations; a recovery boiler; a coal gasification process stream; a gas production stream, biomass combustion system, and an ore processing system.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a sorbent slurry and the sorbent slurry is applied to the gas stream via injection of the sorbent slurry with an atomizer or spray nozzle into the gas stream such that the sorbent slurry is dispersed into controlled droplets.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the composition is applied to the gas stream by application as a slurried blend with alkaline sulfur oxide sorbents applied either simultaneously or separately.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the composition or slurried blend is mixed with the alkaline sulfur oxide sorbent slurry in a holding tank, feed tank, recirculation line, feed line, or mixing chamber prior to application of the slurry to the gas stream.

9. The process of claim 1 , further comprising applying an oxidizing agent to the flue gas either before or after the composition is applied to the gas stream.

10. The process of claim 9 , wherein said oxidizing agent comprises at least one of the following: a thermolabile molecular halogen, calcium bromide, a halogen-containing compound, and combinations thereof.

11. The process of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring mercury emissions system and responding with the addition of said composition in accordance with the mercury levels in said system.

12. The process of claim 2 , further comprising adsorbing or oxidizing at least a portion of the at least one mercury compound or species.

13. The process of claim 2 , wherein said particulate matter collection device is one or more of the following devices: electrostatic precipitation (ESP), filtration, inertial separation, baghouse, cyclone, and spray drier absorber or wet flue gas desulfurizer.

14. The process of claim 2 , wherein said gas stream derives from a heat generating system and wherein said heat generating system is at least one of the following: a combustion system; a power plant combustion system; a coal combustion system; a waste incineration system; a kiln; a kiln for mining operations; a recovery boiler; a coal gasification process stream; a gas production stream, biomass combustion system, and an ore processing system.

15. The process of claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises a sorbent slurry and the sorbent slurry is applied to the gas stream via injection of the sorbent slurry with an atomizer or spray nozzle into the gas stream such that the sorbent slurry is dispersed into controlled droplets.

16. The process of claim 2 , wherein the composition is applied to the gas stream by application as a slurried blend with alkaline sulfur oxide sorbents applied either simultaneously or separately.

17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the composition or slurried blend is mixed with the alkaline sulfur oxide sorbent slurry in a holding tank, feed tank, recirculation line, feed line, or mixing chamber prior to application of the slurry to the gas stream.

18. The process of claim 2 , further comprising applying an oxidizing agent to the flue gas either before or after the composition is applied to the gas stream.

19. The process of claim 18 , wherein said oxidizing agent comprises at least one of the following: a thermolabile molecular halogen, calcium bromide, a halogen-containing compound, and combinations thereof.

20. The process of claim 2 , further comprising monitoring mercury emissions system and responding with the addition of said composition in accordance with the mercury levels in said system.