Exploration of the interaction mechanism in the synergistic degradation of benzene and toluene over MnCoOx catalysts

Researchers at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a novel MnCoO_x catalyst capable of effectively breaking down hazardous industrial pollutants benzene and toluene. The breakthrough, recently published in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, highlights a promising method for addressing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in industrial emissions.

Volatile organic compounds like benzene and toluene are prevalent in industrial emissions and pose significant health and environmental risks. Current methods for their removal often struggle with efficiency, particularly when multiple VOCs are present simultaneously. This study addresses a critical gap in the effective and efficient degradation of these compounds.

The research team synthesized MnCoO_x catalysts with varying manganese to cobalt ratios and evaluated their performance in degrading benzene and toluene. Notably, the MnCoO_x and MnCo₂O_x variants demonstrated superior catalytic efficiency, achieving 90% conversion of benzene and toluene at 290 ℃ and 248 ℃, respectively, with complete degradation observed at higher temperatures (300–350 ℃). The catalysts also exhibited excellent CO₂ selectivity, underscoring their potential for environmentally friendly applications.

The team prepared a series of MnCoO_x catalysts by adjusting the ratios of manganese to cobalt (1:2, 1:1, and 2:1). They conducted experiments under both single and binary VOC conditions to analyze catalytic performance. Advanced characterization techniques were used to understand the relationship between catalyst structure, redox properties, and catalytic activity.

This study provides a significant contribution to the field of VOC treatment, offering a feasible solution for the simultaneous degradation of benzene and toluene. The findings could lead to improvements in industrial pollutant management systems and promote the development of more efficient, cleaner technologies for air purification.

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 22206146, U21A20524) and other key funding bodies. For more detailed insights, the full study is available in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering: https://journal.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-025-1942-6. Future research will explore scaling the catalyst for industrial applications and examining its efficacy with other VOCs.