Method of treating atmospheric pollutants

Abstract

A method of reducing at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant, such as ozone, with a reducing agent comprises contacting the reducing agent with the at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant, wherein the reducing agent comprises a precious metal-free trap material, such as a zeolite, including at least one trapped atmospheric reducing pollutant, e.g. a hydrocarbon, whereby as the at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant is reduced the at least one trapped atmospheric reducing pollutant is oxidised.

1 . A method of treating atmospheric pollutants comprising atmospheric oxidising pollutants and atmospheric reducing pollutants, which method comprises: contacting a first reducing agent with the at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant wherein the first reducing agent comprises a precious metal-free trap material including at least one trapped atmospheric reducing pollutant; and contacting the gas leaving the trap material with at least one second agent for reducing at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant, whereby as the at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant is reduced, the at least one trapped atmospheric reducing pollutant is oxidised. 
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one atmospheric reducing pollutant is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic or cyclic hydrocarbon, an alkane, a paraffin, an olefin, an alkene, an alkyne, a dialkene, a conjugated unsaturated hydrocarbons, a diene, a carboxylic acid, a peroxy acid, a sulfonic acid, a partially oxygenated hydrocarbon, an aldehyde, a conjugated aldehyde, a ketone, an ether, an alcohol, an ester, an amide, an ammonium compounds, an aromatic hydrocarbon, and a cycloparaffin. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first reducing agent is capable of reducing at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant from between ambient temperature and 110° C. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one atmospheric oxidising pollutant is selected from the group consisting of ozone (O 3 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), dinitrogen tetroxide (N 2 O 4 ) and sulfur trioxide (SO 3 ). 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the atmospheric reducing pollutant comprises one or more nitrogen-, sulfur-, oxygen- or phosphorus-atoms. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the atmospheric reducing pollutant further comprises carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, or a soot or a particulate matter component.