Removal of sulfur oxides from diesel exhaust gases

A recently completed EPA study [1] confirms the deleterious effects of inhaling diesel emissions. Technology to remove sulfur from diesel fuel is known, but expensive, and results in some loss of diesel fuel production. The focus of this work is a method to remove sulfur oxides from diesel exhaust by a manganese oxide catalyst embedded in caustic material. Close to complete removal of SO2 makes subsequent catalytic destruction of nitrous oxides and other pollutants now feasible. The cost to remove the last 20 ppm of SO2 from exhaust is less than one cent per gallon of fuel.