Reactions induced by electrical discharges in pollutant abatement and bacterial inactivation

Non-thermal plasmas generated by electrical discharges burning in natural air at atmospheric pressure involve gaseous active species which present particular chemical properties and may thus be later used for various environmental applications. This paper is devoted to identifying the relevant species and their specific chemical properties. The main species able to react at the surface of an aqueous solution of organic waste solutes derive from the parent species N₂, O₂ and H₂O forming the atmosphere around the discharge. Most of the reactions induced at the surface or in the liquid phase i.e., oxidation and acid formation, are related with the occurrence of NO and OH and their derivatives such as hydrogen peroxide and nitric acid. Reacting intermediates (e.g., peroxynitrite and the matching acid) also form and participate in the overall reactive capacity of the plasma such as the degradation of organic solutes.