Determination of arsenic, mercury and lead in NIST standard coals was done using ICP-AES or AAS method. Several tests were also conducted to find a suitable and practical method for the exact determination of the said toxic heavy metals in coal. By use of hydrothermally-treated alginic acid (HTTAA), removal of arsenic and lead in some coal samples was conducted. The leaching ability of HTTAA was comparable to that of EDTA.
