Benzene, which is an aromatic hydrocarbon and a natural constituent of crude oil, has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as a known contributor to cancer. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an estimated 137 billion gallons of gasoline were consumed in the United States last year. This, unfortunately, makes benzene a substantial environmental and health problem. But recently, strides have been made to remove benzene from gasoline. Northwestern University scientists have developed a catalyst that has effectively removed benzene from the other aromatic compounds in gasoline, making it cleaner and more efficient. The catalyst is described as an organometallic molecule. While normally, the molecule is composed of expensive platinum, this catalyst is made from an affordable simple metal that is absorbed onto a particular oxide support. Since the process of removing benzene would be inexpensive, this could keep the cost of gasoline down in the future.
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