title: Decomposition of atrazine traces in water by combination of non-thermal electrical discharge and adsorption on nanofiber membrane.
abstract: In recent decades, several types of persistent substances are detected in the aquatic environment at very low concentrations. Unfortunately, conventional water treatment processes are not able to remove these micropollutants. As such, advanced treatment methods are required to meet both current and anticipated maximally allowed concentrations. Plasma discharge in contact with water is a promising new technology, since it produces a wide spectrum of oxidizing species. In this study, a new type of reactor is tested, in which decomposition by atmospheric pulsed direct barrier discharge (pDBD) plasma is combined with micropollutant adsorption on a nanofiber polyamide membrane. Atrazine is chosen as model micropollutant with an initial concentration of 30 μg/L. While the H2O2 and O3 production in the reactor is not influenced by the presence of the membrane, there is a significant increase in atrazine decomposition when the membrane is added. With membrane, 85% atrazine removal can be obtained in comparison to only 61% removal without membrane, at the same experimental parameters. The by-products of atrazine decomposition identified by HPLC-MS are deethylatrazine and ammelide. Formation of these by-products is more pronounced when the membrane is added. These results indicate the synergetic effect of plasma discharge and pollutant adsorption, which is attractive for future applications of water treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: patrick.vanraes@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vanraes
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.affiliation: Department of Textiles, Ghent University, Technologiepark 907, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Department of Industrial Biological Sciences, Ghent University, Graaf Karel de Goedelaan 5, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Daels
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Biological Sciences, Ghent University, Graaf Karel de Goedelaan 5, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stijn W H
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Van Hulle
authors.affiliation: Department of Textiles, Ghent University, Technologiepark 907, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Clerck
authors.affiliation: Separation Science Group, Department of Organic Chemistry, Universiteit Gent, Krijgslaan 281 S4-bis, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Surmont
authors.affiliation: Separation Science Group, Department of Organic Chemistry, Universiteit Gent, Krijgslaan 281 S4-bis, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lynen
authors.affiliation: Research Group Molecular Odor Chemistry, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Technology Campus, Gebroeders De Smetstraat 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vandamme
authors.affiliation: Research Group Molecular Odor Chemistry, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (M2S), KU Leuven, Technology Campus, Gebroeders De Smetstraat 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Durme
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Institute of Solution Chemistry RAS, Academicheskaya 1, 153012 Ivanovo, Russia.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikiforov
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leys
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D001280:Atrazine / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004560:Electricity; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010126:Ozone / Q000737:chemistry; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D010126:Ozone; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D001280:Atrazine
keywords: Advanced oxidation processes; Degradation by-products; Dielectric barrier discharge; Energy efficiency; Peroxone; Wastewater treatment