The refinery catalyst industry is set for a major boost as a result of increasingly stringent emissions legislation, according to new analysis.

Technical Insights has released its new study which shows that the regulations usch as the new US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation to reduce gasoline sulphur levels to 15 to 30 parts per million (ppm) by 2005 will have a marked effect on the catalyst sector.

In addition, diesel sulphur content is also to be reduced to 15 ppm in highway vehicles by 2006, while in the European Union and Japan sulphur levels in both gasoline and diesel will be cut to 50 ppm by 2005 and to less than 10 ppm by 2009.

Consequently the market analysts are predicting "a boom time" for catalyst manufacturers, provided they introduce efficient catalysts at the right time.

Platinum and palladium catalysts are widely used in the production of gasoline and diesel fuels.

In addition new developments in the industry are expected to alter the perception of the technology, with a wider range of sectors amenable to the products.

"Single-site and selective oxidation catalysis enable improved efficiencies and selectivity, opening up possibilities for catalysis in new reactions," commented the group's research analyst.