Spent catalysts pose environmental and economic challenges. Managing them effectively involves several strategies:
1. Regeneration: This process involves restoring the spent catalyst's activity, often through thermal treatment or chemical washing. Regeneration can be cost-effective but may not always fully restore the catalyst's original activity. 2. Recycling: Valuable metals can be recovered from spent catalysts through hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical processes. Recycling helps in mitigating the environmental impact and reducing the demand for virgin raw materials. 3. Disposal: In cases where regeneration or recycling is not feasible, spent catalysts may be disposed of in landfills, following strict environmental regulations to prevent contamination.
