The elemental mercury removal abilities of three different zeolites (NaA, NaX, HZSM-5) impregnated with iron(III) chloride were studied on a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor. X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) analyses were used to investigate the physicochemical properties. Results indicated that the pore structure and active chloride species on the surface of the samples are the key factors for physisorption and oxidation of Hg, respectively. Relatively high surface area and micropore volume are beneficial to efficient mercury adsorption. The active Cl species generated on the surface of the samples were effective oxidants able to convert elemental mercury (Hg-O) into oxidized mercury (Hg2+). The crystallization of NaCl due to the ion exchange effect during the impregnation of NaA and NaX reduced the number of active Cl species on the surface, and restricted the physisorption of Hg. Therefore, the Hg removal efficiencies of the samples were inhibited. The TPD analysis revealed that the species of mercury on the surface of FeCl3-HZSM-5 was mainly in the form of mercuric chloride (HgCl2), while on FeCl3-NaX and FeCl3-NaA it was mainly mercuric oxide (Hg-O). (C) 2014 The Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V.