Towards understanding of VOC decomposition mechanisms using nonthermal plasmas

Plasma chemical reactions of trichloroethylene (TCE), alkyl acetates and butane were carried out with pulsed corona and packed-bed reactors in order to get insight into the effects of reactor geometry, input energy and background atmosphere on the VOC (volatile organic compounds) reactivities. Extremely high decomposition efficiency of TCE was obtained in nitrogen, and under aerated conditions, byproduct formation was suppressed. Water depressed TCE decomposition efficiency. The initial step of plasma chemical decomposition of TCE can be ascribed to the electron attachment followed by homolysis and/or heterolysis. As for alkyl acetate decomposition, its decomposition efficiency was affected by reactor geometry and alkyl chain length. Comparable decomposition efficiencies of butane were obtained as for butyl acetate under the similar conditions, suggesting the plausible decomposition of the alkyl moiety in the alkyl acetates.