Transition metal modified cordierite for anthracene removal and low-cost exhaust microcontaminant control

Unregulated micro-contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from gasoline vehicles pose increasing environmental and health risks. In this study, cordierite granules were thermally pretreated, acid-activated and modified with transition metal oxides (CuO, Fe₂O₃, MnO₂) by wet impregnation and calcination at 600 °C, producing well-defined oxide coatings confirmed by TGA/DSC and SEM/EDS analyses. A custom-built test rig introduced anthracene vapor (200 µg at 300 °C, 60 mL min⁻¹) through a fixed bed of the modified cordierite, and the downstream Tenax trap was analyzed by GC-MS to quantify removal efficiency. Surface characterization revealed uniform CuO and Fe₂O₃ distributions but agglomerated MnO₂ with residual chlorine, correlating strongly with catalytic performance. Copper- and iron-modified cordierite achieved up to 25.3% and 18.2% net anthracene removal respectively, while MnO₂ was markedly less effective. These results demonstrate that low-cost, non-noble metal coatings can enhance PAH capture and partial oxidation in exhaust-like conditions and provide a mechanistic basis for developing sustainable emission control materials. These findings highlight the potential of non-noble metal oxide coatings for enhancing PAH mitigation in exhaust systems and provide a foundation for future application-oriented development of sustainable emission control materials.