Water Purification to Remove Naphthalene by Treatment with Dielectric-Barrier Discharge in Oxygen

The destruction of naphthalene (NAP), one of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in its aqueous solution by treatment with atmospheric-pressure dielectric-barrier discharge in oxygen has been investigated. The range of NAP concentrations was 3.4-192.5 mu mol/L, and the rms values of voltage and current were (6-13) kV and (0.1-0.8) mA, respectively. The oxygen flow rate was 3 cm(3)/s. The volumetric flow rate of the solution varied within 0.15-0.5 mL/s. It was shown that the degradation kinetics formally obeyed the 1st-order rate law with a rate constant of (2-3) s(-1) at an energy efficiency of 0.005-0.15 decomposed molecules per 100 eV of input energy. The degree of destruction achieved was 99%. It was found that the main degradation products are carbon dioxide (85% of the total carbon content) and aldehydes.

Automated summary

The destruction of naphthalene in its aqueous solution by treatment with atmospheric-pressure dielectric-barrier discharge in oxygen has been investigated. The main degradation products are carbon dioxide and aldehydes.