Emissions of halogenated hydrocarbons such as dichloromethane (DCM) and perchloroethylene (PCE) together with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as methanol represent a serious environmental challenge. VOCs are a broad class of organic chemicals that readily evaporate under ambient temperature and pressure. They originate from numerous natural and anthropogenic sources and exert a significant influence on air quality, human health, and the environment. This work investigates catalysts based on TiO2‑CeO2 and Pt with different Ti:Ce molar ratios in the oxidation of dichloromethane, perchloroethylene and methanol. The oxide mixtures were prepared by using sol-gel method and calcination. Catalytic experiments were performed on laboratory equipment consisting of a flow-through tubular reactor with a fixed catalyst bed located in a furnace, equipped with a by-pass, VOCs injection system and an online FTIR analyzer. Nanostructured Pt/xTiO2–yCeO2 catalysts represent a promising platform for the efficient catalytic oxidation of VOCs and their halogenated derivatives. These catalytic systems exhibit high catalytic activity, enhanced resistance to deactivation mechanisms such as chlorination and carbonation and strong synergistic interactions between Pt, CeO₂, and TiO₂ that improve redox behavior and oxygen mobility. In addition, such catalysts offer the possibility of regeneration through thermal treatment or operation under oxidizing conditions. Future research should focus on optimizing synthesis strategies, improving long-term stability, and gaining deeper insight into catalyst deactivation mechanisms, particularly under realistic conditions involving complex pollutant mixtures.
Acknowledgement
This work is financially supported by the European Union under the REFRESH - Research Excellence For REgion Sustainability and High-tech Industries project No. CZ.10.03.01/00/22_003/0000048 via the Operational Programme Just Transition. Experimental results were accomplished using Large Research Infrastructure ENREGAT supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (projects No. LM2018098 and No. LM2023056).