Particulate air pollutants from a thermal power plant are removed by:

Electrostatic precipitator

The correct answer is Option (3) – Electrostatic precipitator

The technology that can effectively remove over 99% of particulate matter present in the exhaust from a thermal power plant is the electrostatic precipitator (ESP).

While scrubbers and catalytic converters are effective in reducing certain pollutants from exhaust gases, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides ,they are not primarily designed for particulate matter removal to the extent of over 99%. Electrostatic precipitators, on the other hand, are specifically designed for capturing particulate matter by using electrostatic forces to trap and remove particles from the exhaust stream.