Silver catalysts for toluene oxidation

Environmental pollution caused by toluene emissions is a major concern due to its harmful effects on human health and ecosystems. Toluene, a volatile organic compound (VOC), is commonly used in industrial solvents, paints and various chemical products, resulting in its release into the air. This pollution can cause respiratory problems, headaches and more serious long-term effects for exposed populations. To mitigate these impacts, catalytic oxidation has proved to be the most effective way. This process uses catalysts to convert toluene into carbon dioxide and water at moderate temperatures, thereby considerably reducing its presence in the atmosphere.In this work, we focused on the preparation of new silver-based catalysts supported on ZrO2 and M-ZrO2 solids (with M = Ce or Fe) for the toluene oxidation reaction. The effect of Ag and M contents on the physicochemical properties of these solids and on their catalytic activity in toluene oxidation was studied.