Method and apparatus for accelerated catalyst poisoning and deactivation

A method comprising the steps of:

• operating a gasoline or diesel engine, having an exhaust gas outlet or an exhaust gas manifold outlet;
• passing an exhaust gas stream comprising pollutants having at least one pollutant component selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, volatile organic components and dry soot, from the exhaust gas outlet or the exhaust gas manifold outlet of the engine to an emission treatment device comprising a catalyst supported on a substrate or a filter;
• adding to the exhaust gas stream at a location between the exhaust gas outlet or the exhaust gas manifold outlet and the emission treatment device at least one poison compound having at least one component selected from the group consisting phosphorous, zinc and sulfur;
• contacting the exhaust gas with the emission treatment device to form a poisoned emission treatment device;
• evaluating the catalytic activity of the emission treatment device to determine one or more of a conversion percent of at least one pollutant component by the catalyst, a light-off temperature of at least one pollutant component at the catalyst, or an efficiency of the filter.