From Coal Emission
Mercury is a trace element in coal ( about 1ppm)

99.7% of the mercury in coal can be released into the atmosphere by combustion

 Coal is the number one source of total U.S.
electricity production (54%), followed by nuclear
(21%), hydropower (11%), natural gas (9%), oil
(2%), and non-hydro renewables (3%).2
Electricity is produced by burning coal to boil water, to produce steam, to turn turbines which supplies generators (see above). From the figure to the right , you can see that utility boilers produce the most mercury emission.

 
The table to the right list which coal has the most mercury content. (click on it) Coaln.jpg (120994 bytes)

 

Delaware estimated mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants.4
Plant City   Total Mercury Released1998 (pounds)

 

 Mercury Air Pollution1998 (pounds)

 

 As you can see , Delaware is only 39th on the list of mercury air pollutants, but our northern neighbor, PA, is top on the list  
Indian River Wilmington, DE 227 161
Edge Moor Millsboro, DE 246 147
State Total 474 309
  State (Estimated Mercury Air Pollution in pounds)3
1 Pennsylvania 9,967
2 Texas 9,072
3 Ohio 7,881
4 Illinois 6,252
5 Indiana 5,229
6 Alabama 4,876
7 West Virginia 4,751
8 Kentucky 3,855
9 North Carolina 2,870
10 Michigan 2,765
11 Missouri 2,562
12 Tennessee 2,548
13 Florida 2,428
14 Georgia 2,239
15 North Dakota 2,039
16 Wisconsin 1,953
17 Iowa 1,925
18 Maryland 1,781
19 Virginia 1,376
20 New Mexico 1,323
21 Wyoming 1,269
22 Kansas 1,193
23 South Carolina 1,182
24 Louisiana 1,103
25 New York 1,063
26 Arizona 1,035
27 Oklahoma 1,030
28 Arkansas 939
29 Minnesota 909
30 Nebraska 825
31 Colorado 752
32 Montana 678
33 Mississippi 671
34 Utah 660
35 Washington 421
36 Nevada 417
37 New Jersey 411
38 Massachusetts 362
39 Delaware 309
40 Oregon 140
41 New Hampshire 135
42 South Dakota 63
43 Alaska 11