High‐Efficiency Plasma Remediation of Petroleum Wastewater: A Comparison of Gliding Arc and Dielectric Barrier Discharge Air Plasma Jet

Petroleum wastewater contains persistent and toxic hydrocarbons that are difficult to remove using conventional treatment methods. Non‐thermal plasma provides an advanced oxidation pathway by generating reactive species directly in water without chemical additives. This study compares gliding arc (GA) plasma and dielectric barrier discharge air plasma jet (DBD‐APJ) for petroleum wastewater remediation. GA operates in a high‐current arc regime, while DBD‐APJ functions in a low‐current filamentary mode, producing distinct reactive environments. GA achieved ~90% degradation within 90 s (4.1 g kWh −1 ), with ~65% COD and ~45% TOC removal. DBD‐APJ reached ~55% degradation in 15 min (0.88 g kWh −1 ). Results highlight the critical role of discharge characteristics in controlling oxidation pathways and treatment efficiency.