Catalytic removal of a mixture of volatile organic compounds present in indoor air at various work sites over Pt, MnOx and Pt/MnOx supported monoliths

Abstract

The elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was investigated placing a novel catalytic system in the chimney venting of a commercial air extractor, using Pt, Mn and Pt/Mn catalysts supported on ceramic monoliths. The VOCs oxidized were chloroform (CHCl3), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), toluene and xylene, alone, in a binary mixture and in a mixture of all of them. The conversion of VOCs is in general similar, regardless of whether they are in a mixture or alone. Pt/Mn monoliths exhibited the highest destruction activity for the abatement of VOCs alone and in mixtures, due to a synergetic effect between platinum and manganese. The results show that these catalytic systems can be coupled satisfactorily in the venting of the air extraction equipment still working at high flow rates.