Chemical equilibrium calculations are often used to determine the fate of trace metals in combustion processes and to study the effects of different process variables and varying fuel compositions. In the present report, thermodynamic data on compounds containing the trace elements As, Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb from different database sources are compared. The results showed significant differences between existing databases in both number of compounds included in the databases and thermodynamic data. The differences also significantly affected the outcome of the equilibrium calculations. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.