Abstract: The arsenic in coal released to the environment in various forms during high-temperature combustion is harmful to humans. Centering around the behavior of arsenic in coal combustion and its emission characteristics from coal-fired power plants, recent research outcome in China as well as abroad are reviewed, concluding that the temperature is the major factor affecting the arsenic behavior. During the process of high-temperature combustion, the arsenic exists in gaseous arsenic oxide form (AsO(g)), such that the volatile rate depends on the combustion temperature and time as well as the arsenic occurrences due to the medium volatility of the element. The volatile rate increases with the rise of temperatures. The arsenic is released into the environment mostly in fly ashes. Therefore, it can be removed by making full use of the existing air pollution control facilities. At the end, the focuses on future's research are proposed regarding the existing problems.