Cold plasma technologies for sustainable water treatment: a state-of-the-art review

Abstract Cold plasma (CP) directly responds to this challenge by uniting disinfection, oxidation, and surface modification within a single process, enabling simultaneous remediation of diverse pollutants and microbial threats in short timeframes. The multifunctionality of CP stems from its concurrent generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), ultraviolet photons, transient electric fields, and shock waves. This unique synergy enables rapid degradation of persistent organic pollutants, achieving >5–6 log 10 (CFU/mL) microbial reductions within minutes, along with efficient virus inactivation and oxidative fragmentation of microplastics. Beyond water purification, plasma-activated water (PAW) has demonstrated benefits in agriculture through enhanced germination, growth promotion, and soil detoxification, while CP applications in food systems ensure microbial safety, extend shelf life, and preserve nutritional quality. In materials science, CP enables precise surface engineering of membranes, sorbents, and nanomaterials, improving catalytic efficiency, adsorption performance, and biocompatibility. Despite these advances, translation from laboratory to large-scale deployment remains restricted by energy efficiency, reactor scalability, electrode durability, and the absence of standardized protocols. This review critically examines the state-of-the-art in CP research, benchmarks its performance against conventional advanced oxidation processes, and outlines future directions, emphasizing its role as a transformative platform technology contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 12.