divalent transition metals preferred cations are copper iron zinc and the like copper and zinc are highly preferred mixtures are operable among the useful anionic moieties are anions whose divalent metal salts are substantially miscible with water or other solvent s which may be used to produce solutions to be sprayed upon the carrier s preferred anions are chloride nitrate acetate citrate sulfate phosphate carbonate and the like the chloride citrate acetate and nitrate ions are highly preferred chloride is most preferred mixtures are operable while it is generally preferred that salts that dissociate in water are used the use of coordination compounds is contemplated thus complex salts such as disodium copper ii citrate zinc ii ricinoleate and the like which may not appreciably dissociate to the hydrated metal ion in solution may be used mixtures are operable it is believed that the effectiveness of the compositions of the invention is due in part to the formation of coordination complexes when malodorous materials contact the transition metal salts on the surface of the carrier thus the malodor becomes bound to the surface of the carrier and can then be removed along with the carrier it is not required that either the metal salt or the carrier be in solution for the system of the invention to be operable for reasons not yet fully understood the use of very small quantities of metal salts and or complexes in a solid i e essentially dry state yields.