We must address the full spectrum of air pollution, not just the ‘poster child’ of CO2, says Dr Alexander Krajete, CEO of holistic emissions treatment specialist Krajete.
Ambient air pollution is responsible for 4.2 million premature deaths each year, according to the World Health Organisation. Climate scientists and health officials see nitrogen oxides (NOX), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter as the primary culprits of this mortality, not the more often discussed CO2.
However, focusing predominantly on CO2 – the ‘poster child’ of climate change discussions – is short-sighted and integrated pollution control technologies can offer an effective solution to reduce harmful emissions.
When discussing atmospheric pollution, the focus often centres on CO2 as the major contributor to climate change. Yet, other pollutants —NOX, VOCs, hydrogen sulphides (H2S) and ultrafine particulates — cause immediate harm to human health and ecosystems.
These emissions, often overlooked or underregulated, interact in complex ways, creating secondary pollutants like smog and ground-level ozone. Why, then, do we continue to treat atmospheric pollution as a series of isolated problems rather than tackling it holistically?
Shortcomings of current pollution control
Existing pollution management strategies rely on narrow, pollutant-specific technologies that struggle in real-world conditions.
NOX, for instance, contributes to smog and respiratory diseases by inflaming airways. Its multiple oxidation states like NO, NO2 and N2O make mitigation challenging, particularly when NOX reacts with VOCs to form ozone, disrupting photosynthesis and damaging cells. Despite the risks, VOCs often evade detection because monitoring systems struggle with trace amounts of reactive emissions.
Existing treatment systems reveal significant gaps in addressing pollution holistically. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) reduces NOX using ammonia injective, but its performance depends on stable conditions like controlled temperatures and low humidity. In less predictable environments its efficiency drops and secondary pollutants like ammonium nitrate, which acidify soil can form.
Similarly, three-way catalytic converters, common in vehicles degrade over time as catalysts wear out, leading to reduced efficiency with age.
For H2S, the Claus process is effective at large scales, such as in refineries, but its high costs leave smaller facilities with limited options, often resorting to venting emissions directly.
These systems focus narrowly on individual pollutants, overlooking their interactions. They also raise sustainability concerns, such as the reliance on rare catalysts and the production of waste materials, while failing to address the broader pollution spectrum, including particulates and black carbon.
The case for holistic treatment
A new approach is needed — one that addresses emissions as interconnected challenges rather than isolated issues. Technologies like ours offer a holistic alternative, capturing multiple pollutants simultaneously while valorising emissions into usable by-products.
For example, our multilayered emissions capture design incorporates diverse adsorption materials; a charcoal prefilter removes hydrocarbons and particulates while hydrophobic zeolites captures NOX and other pollutants. Oxidation catalysts convert CO and VOCs into reusable intermediaries.
This integrated approach treats multiple pollutants in a single process, reducing emissions to as low as one ppm. Moreover, pollutants are revalorised into resources; NOX into fertiliser-grade nitrates, sulphur oxides are converted into sulphuric acid and VOCs are repurposed as feedstocks.
The system’s regenerative components minimise maintenance and ensure long-term efficiency, making it suitable for challenging environments with fluctuating humidity and temperature.
This adaptability and efficiency contrasts with conventional methods, providing a scalable, reliable solution.
Beyond reducing emissions, holistic systems like the one offered by Krajete, have wide-ranging benefits. Lower levels of NOX and particulates reduce respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly in urban and industrial areas. Mitigating secondary pollutants like smog and acid rain also alleviates long-term ecosystem damage.
Addressing atmospheric pollution holistically requires a shift in perspective, treating pollutants as opportunities for resource creation rather than waste to be neutralised.
By tackling the full spectrum of emissions in real-world conditions, holistic technologies provide a practical, scalable alternative to fragmented systems. This approach not only improves public health and environmental outcomes but also aligns industrial processes with a cleaner future.
