What are the Challenges in Using Catalysts for Cleanup?
Despite their advantages, there are several challenges associated with using catalysts for environmental cleanup:
- Deactivation: Catalysts can become deactivated over time due to poisoning by impurities, fouling, or sintering. This reduces their effectiveness and requires regeneration or replacement. - Cost: Some catalysts, especially those made from precious metals, can be expensive. This can be a limiting factor for large-scale applications. - Disposal: Spent catalysts, especially those containing toxic metals, need to be disposed of properly to avoid secondary environmental contamination.
