Abstract
The current use of high-sulfur fuels in marine shipping results in enormous levels of exhaust emissions. These emissions not only induce nitrogen oxides but also produce fine particles, which are harmful to health, and sulfur dioxide, which is the primary cause of acid rain. It is impossible to reduce the amount of air pollution generated by the maritime transportation sector without first removing sulfur from fuels. Thus, no meaningful strategy for reducing air pollution will be successful until the sulfur levels in marine fuels are significantly reduced to near zero. This chapter discusses the importance of reducing the sulfur content in marine fuels and the subsequent reduction in harmful exhaust emissions. Currently, the oil refining industry is producing low-sulfur fuels, and their use is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2050. However, there is still an urgent need to completely remove sulfur in marine fuels. To this end, this chapter examines the synthesis and use of active molybdenum-based catalysts, like MoO2 and MoS2 nanoparticles, as the basis of a novel sulfur removal technology. The synthesis method was carried out at subcritical water conditions, and the generated nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD). The subsequent XRD data was then analyzed using Rietveld refinement analysis techniques. The resulting XRD analysis revealed the MoS2 nanoparticles were amorphous, while the MoO2 nanoparticles were crystalline in nature with an average particle size of 26 nm.