Electrohydraulic discharge and nonthermal plasma for water treatment

The application of strong electric fields in water and organic liquids has been studied for several years, because of its importance in electrical transmission processes and its practical applications in biology, chemistry, and electrochemistry. More recently, liquid-phase electrical discharge reactors have been investigated, and are being developed, for many environmental applications, including drinking water and wastewater treatment, as well as, potentially, for environmentally benign chemical processes. This paper reviews the current status of research on the application of high-voltage electrical discharges for promoting chemical reactions in the aqueous phase, with particular emphasis on applications to water cleaning.