Automobile Catalytic Converters Research Articles

High-selective platinum and palladium capture using polyamide 6: A potent material for platinum group metals’ recovery from spent car catalytic converter

Platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) are commonly integrated into automotive catalytic converters to convert harmful emissions into relatively safer substances. Their scarcity has resulted in the rapid development of an industry focused on their recovery. Polyamide 6 (PA6), a microplastic pollutant, is a common industrial material. Proper recycling of PA6 can mitigate the environmental impact caused by its microplastic pollution. This work revealed the capability of PA6 in recovering Pt and Pd from solution. Experimental data demonstrated that PA6 recovered about 90% of Pt and 70% of Pd. Importantly, PA6, without any functionalization or modification, adsorbed Pt and Pd without adsorbing present competing metals, exhibiting notably greater recovery selectivity towards Pt and Pd than materials discussed in other works. Furthermore, approximately 81% of Pt and 83% of Pd could be desorbed from PA6 as noted by the desorption studies. After obtaining fitted results using empirical equations and surface group identification, chelation and electrostatic interaction were discerned to be the key pathways for Pt and Pd recovery. This study represents a novel investigation into PA6's adsorption selectivity for Pt and Pd, through which experimental results confirm PA6's potential as a practical, environmentally-friendly alternative for Pt and Pd recovery, distinguishing it from its conventional counterparts.

Contrasting platinum trajectories in three major French rivers using dated sediment cores (1910–2021): From geochemical baseline to emerging source signals

Platinum (Pt) is a Technology Critical Element (TCE) which, since the 1990s, has been mainly used in the industry in catalytic converters for automobile emission control. Previous studies have shown Pt contamination of road-side sediments and surface sediments in urban rivers and lakes but few of them have addressed temporal variations. The present work presents historical Pt concentration trends in 137Cs-dated sediment cores from floodplains or secondary channels at the outlets of three major French watersheds (Loire, Rhone, and Seine Rivers) covering the past ∼110 years, i.e., from the 1910s to 2021. Platinum baseline levels in the sediment were estimated for the Loire River (0.76 ± 0.22 μg kg−1 for the period ∼1910-∼1955) and the Rhone River (1.64 ± 0.41 μg kg−1), and historical Pt variations seem to reflect variations in hydrodynamics and grain size composition. Since the early 2000s, Pt concentrations in the Loire and the Rhone River sediments tend to increase (>2.5 μg kg−1) and were attributed to the use of car catalytic converters, an emerging technology since the 1990s using >50 % of European Pt demand. High and variable historical Pt concentrations (up to 14.6 μg kg−1) in the Seine River sediments may reflect legacy Pt sources due to former anthropogenic activities in this watershed, such as the use of Pt-based catalysts for petroleum refinery since the end of the 1940s, coal handling and precious metals refining, probably concealing the likely presence of an emerging traffic-related Pt signal. This first comparison of historical Pt concentration trends in sediments from contrasting watersheds allows to distinguish signals originating from different natural and anthropogenic sources (background level, historical sources, road traffic).

Potential cellular targets of platinum in the freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Nitzschia palea revealed by transcriptomics.

Platinum group element levels have increased in natural aquatic environments in the last few decades, in particular as a consequence of the use of automobile catalytic converters on a global scale. Concentrations of Pt over tens of μg L-1 have been observed in rivers and effluents. This raises questions regarding its possible impacts on aquatic ecosystems, as Pt natural background concentrations are extremely low to undetectable. Primary producers, such as microalgae, are of great ecological importance, as they are at the base of the food web. The purpose of this work was to better understand the impact of Pt on a cellular level for freshwater unicellular algae. Two species with different characteristics, a green alga C. reinhardtii and a diatom N. palea, were studied. The bioaccumulation of Pt as well as its effect on growth were quantified. Moreover, the induction or repression factors of 16 specific genes were determined and allowed for the determination of possible intracellular effects and pathways of Pt. Both species seemed to be experiencing copper deficiency as suggested by inductions of genes linked to copper transporters. This is an indication that Pt might be internalized through the Cu(I) metabolic pathway. Moreover, Pt could possibly be excreted using an efflux pump. Other highlights include a concentration-dependent negative impact of Pt on mitochondrial metabolism for C. reinhardtii which is not observed for N. palea. These findings allowed for a better understanding of some of the possible impacts of Pt on freshwater primary producers, and also lay the foundations for the investigation of pathways for Pt entry at the base of the aquatic food web.

Inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS) with desolvating sample introduction and He collision gas for high-accuracy determination of Rh, Pd and Pt in automobile catalytic converters

A novel and selective method has been developed for high-accuracy determination of Pd, Pt and Rh in complex autocatalyst matrices using ICP-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS).

The effect of airborne Palladium nanoparticles on human lung cells, endothelium and blood – A combinatory approach using three in vitro models

A better understanding of the mechanisms behind adverse health effects caused by airborne fine particles and nanoparticles (NP) is essential to improve risk assessment and identification the most critical particle exposures. While the use of automobile catalytic converters is decreasing the exhausts of harmful gases, concentrations of fine airborne particles and nanoparticles (NPs) from catalytic metals such as Palladium (Pd) are reaching their upper safe level. Here we used a combinatory approach with three in vitro model systems to study the toxicity of Pd particles, to infer their potential effects on human health upon inhalation. The three model systems are 1) a lung system with human lung cells (ALI), 2) an endothelial cell system and 3) a human whole blood loop system. All three model systems were exposed to the exact same type of Pd NPs. The ALI lung cell exposure system showed a clear reduction in cell growth from 24 h onwards and the effect persisted over a longer period of time. In the endothelial cell model, Pd NPs induced apoptosis, but not to the same extent as the most aggressive types of NPs such as TiO2. Similarly, Pd triggered clear coagulation and contact system activation but not as forcefully as the highly thrombogenic TiO2 NPs. In summary, we show that our 3-step in vitro model of the human lung and surrounding vessels can be a useful tool for studying pathological events triggered by airborne fine particles and NPs.

Evaluation of dithiadiamide-based molecular ion imprinted polymer (MIIP) for selective recovery of platinum from acid-digested spent automobile catalytic converter (ACC) solution

Evaluation of dithiadiamide-based molecular ion imprinted polymer (MIIP) for selective recovery of platinum from acid-digested spent automobile catalytic converter (ACC) solution

Design and development of automotive catalytic converter using non-nobel catalyst for the reduction of exhaust emission: A review

A significant part of the air contamination and pollution is caused because of the vehicular exhaust discharge which now a days expanding at an alarming rate. Exponential use of vehicles and other industrial fossil fuel based equipments increase pollutant level of CO, HC, and NOx as by-products of the combustion process. Pollutants which are sent to the atmosphere from the exhaust are having harmful effects on several living organisms and atmosphere. Numerous elective innovations have been introduced in automotive vehicular systems to cleanse the discharges from the engine and different subsystems. Catalytic converter is the only tool which can help to minimise the effect of pollutants but, increasing the expenses involved in noble metals as a catalyst in automobile catalytic converter motivates to do further investigation of material that can substitute a noble metals as less expensive materials. This paper reviews the research work on alternative inexpensive catalyst such as Pervoskite, spinel, monel, hopcalite and design parameters which can allow the exhaust flow to improve the rate of reaction under the catalytic system configuration. Manuscript includes low cost catalyst materials and design optimization of catalytic converter with various operating temperature range to achieve higher conversion rate for the exhaust purification.

Transcriptomic Response Analysis of Escherichia coli to Palladium Stress.

Palladium (Pd), due to its unique catalytic properties, is an industrially important heavy metal especially in the form of nanoparticles. It has a wide range of applications from automobile catalytic converters to the pharmaceutical production of morphine. Bacteria have been used to biologically produce Pd nanoparticles as a new environmentally friendly alternative to the currently used energy-intensive and toxic physicochemical methods. Heavy metals, including Pd, are toxic to bacterial cells and cause general and oxidative stress that hinders the use of bacteria to produce Pd nanoparticles efficiently. In this study, we show in detail the Pd stress-related effects on E. coli. Pd stress effects were measured as changes in the transcriptome through RNA-Seq after 10 min of exposure to 100 μM sodium tetrachloropalladate (II). We found that 709 out of 3,898 genes were differentially expressed, with 58% of them being up-regulated and 42% of them being down-regulated. Pd was found to induce several common heavy metal stress-related effects but interestingly, Pd causes unique effects too. Our data suggests that Pd disrupts the homeostasis of Fe, Zn, and Cu cellular pools. In addition, the expression of inorganic ion transporters in E. coli was found to be massively modulated due to Pd intoxication, with 17 out of 31 systems being affected. Moreover, the expression of several carbohydrate, amino acid, and nucleotide transport and metabolism genes was vastly changed. These results bring us one step closer to the generation of genetically engineered E. coli strains with enhanced capabilities for Pd nanoparticles synthesis.

The used automobile catalytic converter as an efficient catalyst for removal of malathion through wet air oxidation process

The automobile catalytic converter (ACC) contains a huge number of precious metals as catalysts. When an ACC fails to meet standards, it is removed from the exhaust of an automobile but retains some catalytic activity. However, the recovery and/or activation of this waste is a high-cost process and includes several chemical treatments. Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) has been reported as an effective wastewater treatment method. The most important disadvantage of CWAO is cost-nonefficiency. Herein, to overcome these problems, the simple recovery of catalysts from waste ACC for reuse in CWAO was investigated. The optimum conditions of reaction were investigated through response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum removal efficiency was 88% when the reaction conditions were set on the 20 bar of pressure at 111.5 °C over 77 min and using 0.41 g of recovered catalyst. In addition, toxicity testing was performed on a model of malathion-contaminated wastewater before and after CWAO treatment. Final product identification was performed which showed that CWAO eliminated the toxicity of wastewater and was determined to be malaoxon, present at acceptable concentrations, and tributyl phosphate. In conclusion, there may be important potential for the use of recovered ACC catalyst in the treatment of toxic wastewater.

Contamination of roadside soils by metals linked to catalytic converters in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

The contamination of soils due to traffic-related activities has been an ever-growing concern since the mid-20th century. This global issue impacts both rural soils often used for agriculture and grazing, and urban soils in densely populated urban areas. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the distribution of catalytic converters-related elements (Pd, Pt, Rh, Mo, and Ni) in roadside soils from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four highways, Linha Vermelha, Avenida Brasil, Via Dutra, and BR-465, were selected according to their daily traffic volume and urban/non-urban settings. Linha Vermelha and Avenida Brasil cross areas with high population density, while Via Dutra and BR-465 intersect non-urban locations. In addition to several physicochemical parameters, soil concentrations of three platinum group elements (Pd, Pt, and Rh), Mo and Ni were determined in samples collected at different distances from each highway (1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 m). While the results for Mo, Ni, Pt, and Rh are within reference levels in all highways, alarming concentrations of Pd were found, especially in soils bordering urbanized areas – note that Pd emissions to roadside soils are unique to automobile catalytic converters. Hence, as per the calculated geoaccumulation indexes, soils adjacent to Linha Vermelha and Avenida Brasil are either highly polluted or extremely polluted by Pd at all sampling points (averaging concentrations of 376 and 112 μg kg−1, respectively). The high traffic volume, frequent traffic congestion, and incidence of anthropogenic processes are the most probable roots for greater metal pollution in soils neighboring the selected urban highways. Contrariwise, soil metal levels in the non-urban areas are mainly dependent on traffic emissions and thereby in agreement with the pertaining literature, as concentrations decline with increasing distances from the road. Moreover, in comparison with the soils adjoining the urban highways, the acidic pH, reduced exchange capacity, and high organic matter content, suggest an insignificant contribution from other anthropic activities at Via Dutra and BR-465.

CFD Analysis of an Automobile Catalytic Converter to Obtain Flow Uniformity and to Minimize Pressure Drop Across the Monolith

The catalytic converter is a device which converts harmful exhaust gases from internal combustion engine into harmless gases. Global warming and air pollution are a buzz in today’s scenario. Greenhouse gasses are responsible for global warming. Carbon dioxide, which contributes to being the single most significant greenhouse gasses emission, comes from the exhaust of an automobile. Catalytic converter plays a vital role in the reduction of such greenhouse gasses. The objective of the present study is to examine an automobile catalytic convertor to present a detail and comprehensive report on the key parameters affecting the flow uniformity inside the converter and thus attempting to achieve minimum pressure drop across the converter to reduce the backpressure. The catalytic converter geometry is modified to increase the conversion efficiency of the converter. The results reported in the latter part of this paper gives a good insight about the recirculation zones created in the base and also velocity and pressure plots to find a solution for uniform flow within the monolith and also achieved a reduction in pressure drop of 3.7 Pa.

Effect of Cerium Oxide on Acid Slag Viscosity

Results of calculating the viscosity of acid slags according to the most well-known models used in steelmaking plants for slags with high basicity are analyzed. It is found that with an error of 10%, the calculations of viscosity according to the Urbain model coincide most fully with known data from the slag atlas in relation to acid slags typical for processing spent ceramic-based automotive catalysts. Within the composition of the active coating based on platinum group metals applied to ceramic unit of an automobile catalyst there is extensive use of lanthanide metals, their oxides, and salts that improve product quality characteristics. Cerium oxide is used advantageously, and an increase in concentration of this oxide is confirmed by chemical analysis of a ground mixture of spent automobile catalytic converters supplied for recycling. However, none of the models take account the effect of cerium oxide on melt viscosity. A requirement for taking this into account gives rise to the importance of the task in question. In order to determine this effect, charge composition was calculated to obtain viscosity of 2 poise typical for the technique employed, a charge was melted in a 1 MW DC arc furnace, and melt viscosity was determined by an inclined trough method. Melt temperatures were measured when the viscosity was the same as in the previous experiment. As a result of these studies the effect of cerium oxide concentration on temperature at which values of similar viscosity are achieved is determined. The value of the previously unknown coefficient of the effect of CeO2 on acid slag viscosity (equal to 2.24) is obtained, when it is considered as a network modifier in an Urbain model.

Spectroscopic Assessment of Platinum Group Elements of PM10 Particles Sampled in Three Different Areas in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Platinum group elements (PGE) including Ru, Rh, Pt and Pd have been quantified in air particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter equal or less than 10 microns (PM10) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). PM10 aerosols have been collected from three sites representing various activities in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. These locations are residential site with heavy traffic, industrial site and heavy traffic and a light traffic site outside the city. To obtain reasonable data of the PGE concentrations, a group from 10 to 15 PM10 samples were collected every month. The annual and seasonal variation of the mass concentration of the PGE were demonstrated. In all locations, Pt and Pd were relatively higher than Ru and Rh possibly because their main use is in automobile catalytic converters. Concentrations of observed PGE in PM10 could be arranged in ascending order as: Rh < Ru < Pd < Pt. In case of Ru and Pt, there are clear similarities in terms of the overall mean concentrations at the sampling locations. Due to the high concentration of Ru, Rh and Pd at low traffic site, there are certainly other sources of these elements rather than vehicle catalytic converters. However, at the industrial/heavy traffic location, high concentrations of Ru were detected during February 2015. In addition, high Pt concentrations were also detected at the light traffic site during May 2015. Results indicate that Pt source in PM10 is mainly the automobile catalytic converters.

The performance test of the car catalytic converter in the conditions of urban operation

In the conditions of continuous operation of a car tests of its engine for compliance with the declared environmental class on specialized test benches seem to be quite costly and laborious. Given this circumstance, in this paper a simplified method for verifying the operability of converters is proposed including the assessment of the influence of certain operation modes and some operational factors on the amount of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emissions. Efficiency of the converter was estimated by comparing the experimental data on the emissions of these toxic components in the exhaust system before and after the converter. To test the efficiency of the converter, the cold start and warm-up modes of the engine were selected and investigated, as well as several modes close to those typical for testing the engine and car in urban areas according to the European Driving Cycle. As operational factors, typical malfunctions were investigated that often occur during the operation of an engine and significantly increase the amount of harmful emissions. A criterion is proposed for evaluating the performance of the converter and recommendations are given to increase the efficiency of the converter to meet the certain emission standards for cars with spark-ignition engines.

Characterising the levels and sources of the historical metal contamination in the atmosphere of Montreal (Canada) from 1973 to 2013 by coupling chemistry and Lead and Osmium isotope ratios

Abstract Since 1969 the city of Montreal monitors the air quality on its island through a network of sampling stations. Some of these stations collect aerosols, including total suspended particles (TSP), at various locations, representative of specific environments: downtown, harbour, road traffic… Between 1973 and 2013 the implementation of mitigation measures by the government resulted in successive decreases in the TSP concentrations. Here, the study of the Pb atmospheric concentrations suggests three distinct periods: 1) 1973, with expected high atmospheric Pb concentrations, 2) between 1978 and 1988, a period corresponding to the phasing out of lead in gasoline in Canada (officially from 1974 to 1990), where Pb concentrations decreased at an approximate rate of 0.05 μg/m3/year, and 3) 1993 to 2013, a period during which atmospheric Pb concentrations still decreased but at a slower rate. The Pb and Os stable isotope analysis allows us to identify the major sources of metal contamination during these periods as well as to characterise the evolution of their respective contributions. The combustion of leaded gasoline mainly explains the Pb isotope ratios of the first period, followed by contributions corresponding to emissions from the US industries between 1988 and 2002. After 2002, Pb isotopes identify a higher contribution from local Pb emitters. In contrast, Os atmospheric concentrations remained low over the same period, although Os isotopes suggest an anthropogenic contribution from automobile catalytic converters and/or waste industries for the highest concentrations.

Spatiotemporal variations of platinum in seawater in Otsuchi Bay, Japan after the 2011 tsunami

Huge tsunami waves devastated coastal areas on the Pacific Ocean side of northern Japan on March 11, 2011, and seriously damaged these coastal environments. Since the tsunami, we have not yet obtained data on the present state of and changes in trace metal concentrations in seawater in these areas. Platinum (Pt), one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust, is now widely used in a range of products, such as catalytic converters in automobiles and anticancer drugs. Increasing use and dispersal of Pt has the potential to affect aquatic environments, although Pt concentrations in open ocean seawater have been found to be very low (approximately 0.2 pmol/L). In this study, we reveal the Pt concentrations in seawater and sediment in Otsuchi Bay after the tsunami, and evaluate the behavior of the Pt. The concentrations of dissolved Pt in seawater are 0.40–1.99 pmol/L and those in river water are below the detection limit of 0.015 pmol/L. Comparing the Pt concentrations in May, higher concentrations were obtained in 2013 than in 2012, especially in the deepest seawater. The total Pt concentrations in sediment samples were 0.46–14.4 ng/g in Otsuchi Bay. Using a sequential leaching technique on the sediments, Pt concentrations in the acetic-acid fractions were 0.19–1.13 ng/g, and those in the acetic acid + hydrochloric acid hydroxylamine fractions were less than 0.03–0.71 ng/g. Seasonal variations in dissolved Pt concentrations reflected changes in the water mass structure. During the stratification season, vertical profiles indicated that Pt concentrations tended to increase with depth due to supply from the sediments, whereas in winter, the water mass was vertically well mixed. The Pt was supplied to the bottom of the water from the sediments, probably due to loosely adsorbed Pt on sediment particles being remobilized during post-depositional processes. The increased internal input of Pt within Otsuchi Bay can be explained by the release of 1.3–5.6% of the leachable fraction from sediments, probably transported from the land by the tsunami, during the water residence time in the bay.

In situ synthesis and preconcentration of cetylpyridinium complexed hexaiodo platinum nanoparticles from spent automobile catalytic converter leachate using cloud point extraction

In the present study, a green chemistry based cloud point extraction (CPE) method has been developed for the in situ synthesis and preconcentration of cetylpyridinium complexed hexaiodo platinum nanoparticles (Pt-I NP) from the leachate of spent automobile catalytic converter using potassium iodide (KI) and assisted by a combination of cationic and non-ionic surfactants; cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) and Triton X-114, respectively. The process parameters such as concentrations of hydrochloric acid, platinum, KI, sodium chloride, CPB, Triton X-114; incubation temperature and complexation time on CPE were optimized. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and zeta potential techniques. The formation of Pt-I NP was followed with UV–vis. The XRD pattern established the tetragonal crystal structure of the produced nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were spherical in shape and the particle size obtained with TEM was about 5.6 nm. Further, the preconcentrated nanoparticles were quantified by continuum source electro-thermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS) and a preconcentration factor of 25 was obtained for a reaction volume of 25 mL. The accuracy of the developed method was confirmed by analyzing the certified reference materials such as CCRMP PTM-1a (copper-nickel sulphide matte) and CCRMP PTC-1a (copper-nickel sulphide concentrate). The current CPE protocol demonstrates advantages such as simultaneous synthesis and preconcentration; synthesis at micromolar concentration from metal scrap, higher nanoparticle recovery; biodegradability and biocompatibility of the employed surfactants and dual solubility of the synthesized Pt-I NP. Thus, the developed method can be applied for the separation, large scale synthesis and preconcentration of Pt-I NP from various environmental and industrial wastes, in a single pot.

Recovery and Then Individual Separation of Platinum, Palladium, and Rhodium from Spent Car Catalytic Converters Using Hydrometallurgical Technique followed by Successive Precipitation Methods

Recovery of PGMs (especially rhodium, platinum, and palladium) from different spent manufactured products (like catalytic converters) is considered as an important task as they are rarely found in nature, and they possess high economic value. In this work, the honeycomb of a car catalytic converter was primarily processed by crushing, grinding, and then treating in a hydrogen atmosphere. In order to establish an economic and ecofriendly method for the recovery of studied PGMs, different experimental conditions of changing HCl/H2O2 (as a leaching solution) ratio, temperature, and contact time were studied through batch experiments to obtain the optimum leaching conditions. The use of 0.8 vol% H2O2 and 9.0 M HCl mixture at 60°C for a contact time of 2.5 hours during the leaching process may be considered as the best conditions to be followed to save chemicals, energy, and time (about 86%, 96%, and 98% of Rh, Pt, and Pd were recovered, respectively). Individual separation of PGM ions from each other using precipitation technique from their leaching liquor was performed where % purity values of 99.5, 99.3, and 95.5 were obtained for Pt, Pd, and Rh, respectively.

Separation of Pt(IV), Pd(II), Ru(III) and Rh(III) from model chloride solutions by liquid-liquid extraction with phosphonium ionic liquids

The recovery of metals from waste is profitable not only from an economic but also from an ecological point of view. The natural resources of metals (especially platinum group metals – PGM) are limited, while the amount of waste containing the desired metals is still growing. The purpose of the work is the use of quaternary phosphonium salts, i.e. Cyphos IL 101 (trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride), Cyphos IL 102 (trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium bromide) and Cyphos IL 104 (trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinate), for the separation of palladium(II), platinum(IV), rhodium(III) and ruthenium(III) from their multi-component model mixtures of composition based on real solutions after leaching of PGM-containing wastes (e.g. automobile catalytic converters). Though, Pd(II) could not be separated from Pt(IV) by one-stage extraction, separation of Pd(II) from Pt(IV) was possible by stripping with 0.1 M thiourea in 0.5 M HCl. The extraction of Rh(III) from the four-component solution practically did not occur (Rh(III) stayed in raffinate), therefore Pt(IV) and Pd(II) could be selectively separated from Rh(III). As a result of the work, a separation procedure of successful separatation of Pd(II), Pt(IV), Ru(III) Rh(III) from four-component solutions has been developed based on two stages of extraction with ionic liquid solution (trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride) and two stages of stripping.

Improving catalytic converter performance by controlling the structural and redox properties of Zr-doped CeO2 nanorods supported Pd catalysts

The work herein introduces a facile and novel synthesis procedure for producing Zr-doped CeO2 nanorod catalysts applicable for upgrading the car catalytic converter system. Four different concentrations of Zr-doped CeO2 nanorods (5, 10, 15, and 20 mol%) were synthesized. Some characterization techniques were utilized to describe their structure. Pd metal was impregnated on the CexZr1−xO2–Al2O3. The activity and selective oxidation of the major pollutants from motor vehicles such as CO, NOx, and CH were studied in a down-flow microreactor. The Zr ions were successfully doped into the ceria lattice, positively influencing the specific surface area, which had a major impact on the efficiency of the catalyst. The optimum Zr-doped catalyst was found to be Pd/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2–Al2O3 with the highest surface area (SBET = 111) and higher activity at lowest oxidation temperature (T90%) of 205 and 360 for CO and CH and T70% of 460 for NOx. Pd/Ce0.8Zr0.2O2–Al2O3 showed potential to be used in the car catalytic converter system, resulting in the production of a cost-effective catalyst for a more efficient automotive industry.