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Enhanced removal of humic acid from micro-polluted source water in a surface discharge plasma system coupled with activated carbon

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Abstract

Surface discharge plasma (SDP) combined with activated carbon (AC) was employed to eliminate dissolved organic matter from micro-polluted source water, with humic acid (HA) as the model pollutant. Synergistic effect on HA removal was observed in the SDP-AC system; HA removal efficiency reached 60.9% within 5-min treatment in the SDP-AC system with 5.0 g AC addition, whereas 16.7 and 17.4% of HA were removed in sole SDP system and AC adsorption, respectively. Scanning electron microscope and Boehm titration analysis showed that chemical reactions between active species and functional groups of AC occurred. The existence of isopropanol or benzoquinone exhibited inhibitive effects on HA removal in the SDP system, while these inhibitive effects were weakened in the SDP-AC system. The influences of AC on ozone equivalent concentration and H2O2 concentration were evaluated, and there were approximately 39 and 20% decline in ozone equivalent concentration and H2O2 concentration within 6-min treatment in the SDP-AC system, respectively, compared with those in the sole SDP system. Dissolved organic carbon, specific ultraviolet absorbance, and UV absorption ratios analysis demonstrated that the SDP treatment destroyed the chromophoric groups, double bonds, and aromatic structure of HA molecules, and these destructive actions were strengthened by AC.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation, P.R. China (51608448), and Fundamental Research Fund for the Central Universities (Z109021617), and National Natural Science Foundation, P.R. China (51308460), for the financial supports to this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

    Tiecheng Wang, Yujuan Li, Guangzhou Qu, Dongli Liang, Shibin Hu & Lingyan Zhu

  2. Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-Environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Tiecheng Wang, Yujuan Li, Guangzhou Qu, Dongli Liang & Shibin Hu

  3. Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

    Qiuhong Sun

  4. Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, People’s Republic of China

    Lingyan Zhu

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  1. Tiecheng Wang
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  2. Yujuan Li
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  3. Guangzhou Qu
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  4. Qiuhong Sun
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  5. Dongli Liang
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  6. Shibin Hu
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  7. Lingyan Zhu
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Correspondence to Tiecheng Wang.

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Responsible editor: Bingcai Pan

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Wang, T., Li, Y., Qu, G. et al. Enhanced removal of humic acid from micro-polluted source water in a surface discharge plasma system coupled with activated carbon. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 21591–21600 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9807-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9807-6

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