Catalytic Conversion Behavior and Degradation Mechanisms of Sulfur-Containing Multi-Pollutants such as Thiols and Thioethers: A Review
The efficient treatment of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds (S-VOCs) has become a critical task for air pollution control and green low-carbon transition under China's 14th Five-Year Plan. Industrial emissions often contain multiple S-VOC species, whose interactions can complicate degradation pathways, generate uncontrollable byproducts, and deactivate catalysts, limiting practical application. This review systematically summarizes the past decade of research on catalytic degradation of thiols and thioethers in multi-pollutant systems, focusing on competitive adsorption mechanisms, interfacial reaction pathways, and environmental factor regulation. Performance differences and reaction mechanisms across various catalyst systems under coexisting S-VOCs and inorganic sulfur are compared. Key findings indicate that mixed thiol systems exhibit faster deactivation than single-component systems due to temperature-dependent competitive adsorption and pathway switching, governed by molecular size–active site matching. Strategies such as metal–support strong interactions, zeolite confinement, nanocluster effects, and single-atom catalysts have improved activity and stability. However, dynamic competition mechanisms at active sites remain unresolved. Future research should develop atomic/molecular-level characterization techniques and multi-variable kinetic models, and shift from end-of-pipe purification to resource recovery, e.g., converting H2S and thiols into high-value chemicals like methanethiol, achieving dual goals of pollution control and sulfur resource recycling.