Question

How do you propose to control:

Carbon monoxide emission

Answer 1

Carbon monoxide pollution can be controlled in the following ways:

• By switching over from internal combustion engines to electrically powered cars.
• Many pollution control devices are now installed in cars. Most of these devices help reduce pollution by burning gasoline completely. The complete combustion of gasoline produces only carbon dioxide and water vapour.

2C₈H₁₈ + 5O₂ → 16CO₂ + 18H₂O

• By using substitute fuels for gasoline: Natural gas [both compressed (CNG) and liquefied (LNG)] is now increasingly being used as fuel. Alcohols are other feasible substitutes.
• By using catalytic convertors
• Nitrogen oxide is reduced to nitrogen and oxygen in the presence of finely divided platinum or palladium as a catalyst.

\[\ce{2NO->[Pt] N2 + O2}\]

\[\ce{2NO2->[Pt][0] N2 + 2O2}\]

• Carbon monoxide changes to carbon dioxide in the presence of finely divided platinum as a catalyst.

\[\ce{CO->[Pt][0] CO2 + H2O}\]