Pathways of organic micropollutants degradation in atmospheric pressure plasma processing

TL;DR

This paper reviews the use of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma for degrading various organic micropollutants in water, highlighting current knowledge, pathways, and research gaps in this emerging technology.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of degradation pathways of micropollutants using different plasma types, addressing a gap in existing reviews focused mainly on plasma physics.

Findings

Different plasma types effectively degrade various micropollutants

Identification of key chemical pathways in plasma-based degradation

Highlighting research gaps for future studies

Abstract

Concern of toxic compounds and their, potentially more harmful degradation products, present in aquatic environment alarmed scientific community and research on the development of novel technologies for wastewater treatment had become of great interest. Up to this date, many papers pointed out the challenges and limitations of conventional wastewater treatment and of some advanced oxidation processes. Advanced technologies based on the use of non-equilibrium or non-thermal plasma had been recognized as a possible solution for, not only degradation, but for complete removal of recalcitrant organic micropollutants. While previous review papers have been focused on plasma physics and chemistry of different types of discharges for few organic micropollutants, this paper brings comprehensive review of current knowledge on the chemistry and degradation pathways by using different non-thermal plasma types for several micropollutants classes, such as pharmaceuticals, perfluorinated compounds, pesticides, phenols and dyes and points out some major research gaps.