Recent trends on catalytic oxidation of benzene without or with ozone over Mn-based catalysts

Benzene is a hazardous air pollutant, classified as carcinogenic to humans, that requires special management. Benzene exists both indoors and outdoors and the control measure of indoor benzene is different from that of outdoor benzene. The removal of indoor benzene needs to be accomplished at low temperatures (normally below 100 °C), while outdoor benzene is usually removed at much higher temperature (300-400 °C) by using catalytic oxidation. This review paper summarizes the recent trend in catalytic treatment of airborne benzene, focusing on catalytic oxidation and catalytic ozone oxidation. Particular attention is paid to Mn-based catalysts for low-temperature oxidation of benzene, which are more economical than the other noble-metal catalysts. Various methods are used to generate more efficient Mn-based catalysts for benzene removal. Ozone oxidation is attracting particularly significant attention because it can remove benzene effectively below 100 °C, even at room temperature.