Business Segment and Geographic Financial Data (Detail) - Reporting Segment Net Sales and Gross Margin - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Revenues from external customers	$ 13,548	$ 12,596	$ 31,780	$ 45,593
Cost of sales	(8,498)	(7,281)	(19,383)	(28,650)
Gross margin	5,050	5,315	12,397	16,943
Selling, general and administrative	(4,968)	(5,789)	(16,045)	(19,711)
Restructuring charge	0	(1,108)	(119)	(1,425)
Research and development	(216)	(672)	(780)	(1,438)
Building Impairment	0	0	(2,965)	0
Operating loss	(134)	(2,254)	(7,512)	(5,631)
Air Pollution Control Segment
Revenues from external customers	8,799	6,042	18,346	29,063
Cost of sales	(6,184)	(4,233)	(12,787)	(20,704)
Gross margin	2,615	1,809	5,559	8,359
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charge	0	(373)	(58)	(537)
Research and development	0	0	0	0
Building Impairment	0		0
Operating loss	2,615	1,436	5,501	7,822
FUEL CHEM Segment
Revenues from external customers	4,749	6,554	13,434	16,530
Cost of sales	(2,314)	(3,048)	(6,596)	(7,946)
Gross margin	2,435	3,506	6,838	8,584
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charge	0	(735)	(61)	(888)
Research and development	0	0	0	0
Building Impairment	0		0
Operating loss	2,435	2,771	6,777	7,696
Other
Selling, general and administrative	(4,968)	(5,789)	(16,045)	(19,711)
Restructuring charge	0	0	0	0
Research and development	(216)	(672)	(780)	(1,438)
Building Impairment	0		(2,965)
Operating loss	$ (5,184)	$ (6,461)	$ (19,790)	$ (21,149)

The aggregate cost of goods produced and sold and services rendered during the reporting period.

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The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long-lived assets held for abandonment, exchange or sale.

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The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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Amount of expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

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