Degradation of PFOA solutions and PFAS-contaminated groundwater using atmospheric non-thermal plasma treatment

ABSTRACT Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) can be found ubiquitously in the environment due to their large-scale use, and they pose risks to both ecosystems and human health. These pollutants are highly persistent, making them difficult or impossible to break down with standard processing methods. Therefore, the focus of this research is to explore an alternative approach to reduce PFAS-contaminated water by investigating the breakdown of these pollutants using atmospheric non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology. The experiments tested PFOA standard solutions with varying parameters, including different oxygen and nitrogen ratios as feeding air, with or without a cooling system, and at different time exposures. The process showed energy efficiency being ranged from 0.31 to 15.31 mg/kWh. Chemical analysis of treated samples confirmed the reactor's suitability for PFAS degradation, achieving a 63.75% reduction in initial PFOA concentration after 2 h of plasma treatment. Furthermore, degradation products such as PFHpA, PFHxA, PFPeA, and PFBA were identified after plasma treatment. Overall, these results suggest that plasma-based technology is a promising approach for treating PFAS-contaminated water.