Fibrous catalyst

A method for preparing a fibrous catalyst for the treatment of a waste stream, the method comprising the steps of:

• (i) treating a fabric comprising polyacrylonitrile fibers with a hydrazine salt and a hydroxylamine salt in the presence of a base to provide a modified fabric;
• (ii) treating the modified fabric with a base;
• and
• (iii) treating the modified fabric with an aqueous solution comprising a sulfate salt of a first metal cation and a sulfate salt of a second metal cation, wherein the first metal cation is selected from an iron and nickel cation, and mixtures thereof to be loaded onto the modified fabric, and wherein the second metal cation is selected from a lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, aluminium, gallium, indium, thallium, tin, lead, antimony and bismuth cation, and mixtures thereof,
• wherein the resultant fibrous catalyst prepared according to steps (i) to (iii) is loaded with the first metal cation, has an enhanced first metal cation loading and provides an enhanced catalytic activity.