Pollutant treatment process and apparatus

1. An apparatus for removing hydrocarbons and/or NO x from a feed stream containing hydrocarbons and/or NO x , the apparatus comprising:

a source of ozone arranged to introduce ozone to the feed stream to produce an ozone doped stream containing ozone and hydrocarbons and/or NO x ;

a supported metal catalyst comprising iron supported on a support selected from aluminosilicates, silica-aluminas, silicates and aluminas;

wherein the apparatus is arranged to contact the ozone doped stream with the supported metal catalyst at a temperature of from 100° C. to 300° C.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support of the supported metal catalyst comprises beta zeolite.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to receive an exhaust stream from a hydrocarbon combustion process or a waste gas stream from an industrial process as at least a portion of the feed stream.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising means for carrying out hydrocarbon combustion and feeding an exhaust stream to the apparatus as at least a portion of the feed stream.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the means for carrying out hydrocarbon combustion comprises a natural gas engine.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured so that the ozone doped stream is contacted with the supported metal catalyst at a temperature of from 130° C. to 280° C.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to provide a flow of the ozone doped stream over the supported metal catalyst continuously for greater than 1 minute.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to contact the ozone doped stream with the supported metal catalyst at a pressure of 10 bar absolute or less.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the source of ozone comprises an ozone generator configured to generate ozone in situ.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the ozone generator comprises a corona discharge ozone generator, a cold plasma ozone generator or a UV ozone generator.

11. An industrial processing plant comprising the apparatus of claim 1 for reducing emissions of hydrocarbons and/or NO x .

12. A vehicle comprising the apparatus of claim 1 for reducing emissions of hydrocarbons and/or NO x .

13. A process for removing methane from a feed stream containing methane using the apparatus of claim 1 , the process comprising:

using a source of ozone to generate ozone and introducing the ozone to a feed stream containing methane to produce an ozone doped stream containing ozone and methane; and

contacting the ozone doped stream with a supported metal catalyst at a temperature of from 100° C. to 300° C. produce a treated stream;

wherein the supported metal catalyst comprises iron supported on a support selected from aluminosilicates, silica-aluminas, silicates and aluminas.

14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the ozone doped stream is contacted with the supported metal catalyst at a temperature of from 130° C. to 280° C.

15. The process of claim 13 , wherein the support of the supported metal catalyst comprises a zeolite support.

16. The process of claim 13 , wherein the contacting step comprises providing a flow of the ozone doped stream over the supported metal catalyst continuously for greater than 1 minute.

17. The process of claim 13 , wherein the contacting step is conducted at a pressure of 10 bar absolute or less.

18. The process of claim 13 , wherein the feed stream comprises an exhaust stream from a natural gas engine.

19. The process of claim 13 , wherein the ozone introduced to the feed stream is generated by an ozone generator in situ.

20. The process of claim 13 , wherein water is present in the feed stream or the ozone doped stream in an amount of up to 15% v/v.