Formation of Formaldehyde in Aqueous Solution under Atmospheric-Pressure Direct-Current Discharge

摘要

The possibility of degradation of organic compounds in water by treatment with discharges of various types has become a subject matter of intensive research. Regardless of the discharge type, the common products of decomposition of a variety of organic compounds (phenol, synthetic surfactants, carboxylic acids) are aldehydes and carbon dioxide [1, 2]. By plasma treatment of water, not only species having a high oxidizing power (OH radicals), but also good reducing agents (H radicals) are generated [3]. Thus, it may be assumed that reduction reactions can occur along with the oxidative degradation processes. The purpose of this study was to test this hypothesis using distilled water as the object of treatment.