Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium in the Environment

Catalytic converters are used in effort to decrease pollutants emission originating during the fuel combustion by modification of exhaust gasses. Platinum group elements (PGE) - platinum, rhodium, palladium - are used as the effectual catalytic substance in this equipment. Catalytic converters are during the combustion process physically and chemically loaded with rapid changing of oxidation and reduction conditions, high temperatures and mechanical abrasion that is the reason of PGE emissions to the environment especially near roads and in urban agglomerations with high traffic intensity. Results of study focused on platinum, rhodium and palladium contents in selected environmental matrices on localities burden by traffic in the Czech Republic in years 2002 - 2009 are presented in this paper and document dependency of concentration increase on traffic intensity.