The Characteristics of Natural Organic Matter by High Voltage Pulse Discharge Plasma

High voltage pulse discharge plasma can remove natural organic matter (NOM) and produce no production of toxic by-products. Fulvic acid solution was treated by high voltage pulse discharge plasma in this paper. It was shown that because of the thermolysis and oxidation, with the increase of peak voltage and fulvic acid solution concentration, the pH and ORP of solution decreased gradually, meanwhile the temperature and turbidity of solution increased gradually. Adding hydrochlorid acid in the treatment could amplify the effect of plasma. As the surrogate parameter of NOM concentration, UV254 increased slowly by the effect of plasma, while the degradation of TOC was first-order reaction. The removal rate of TOC increased from 22.6% to 33.4% by high voltage pulse electrical field of 35 kv, and from 25.6% to 36.7% with the addition of hydrochlorid acid. This paper may provide some basis for the scale-up design of water treatment process by high voltage pulse discharge plasma with other technologies.