The effect of two types of catalysts on the activity of the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene was studied. Catalysts were prepared by the surface deposition of palladium hydroxide with a simultaneous reduction with formaldehyde in a basic environment and were characterised by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, adsorption-desorption, and catalytic tests — hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in methanol. The influence of the supports’ (activated carbon and a mixture of activated carbon and multi-walled carbon nanotubes) surface area is discussed. Despite having a size comparable (4–5 nm) to crystallites of metallic palladium, the catalyst prepared on a mixture of activated carbon and nanotubes (Pd/C/CNT) was significantly less active than the catalyst prepared on pure activated carbon (Pd/C); the rate of this reaction was approximately 30 % lower than the initial reaction rate. This feature could be attributed to the lower specific surface area of the Pd/C/CNT (531 m2 g−1) in comparison with the Pd/C (692 m2 g−1).

With the increasing demand for electricity due to the increasing economic boom, there is an excessive production of emissions that natural processes cannot cope with. Fortunately, there are various technological solutions for capturing harmful substances from produced emissions. However, the European Union aims to prevent the formation of emissions in the process of industrial production itself. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to reconcile the interests of individual European Union member states by the implementation of regulations into laws, to monitor short-term and long-term changes in air quality, and also to put into practice increasingly effective methods of capturing emissions from the air. This paper offers an example of thermodynamic calculation of quantities by appropriate software in the process of recycling waste from the metallurgical industry and possibilities of technological improvement in emission reduction.