Degradation of Methylene Blue by RF Plasma in Water

Abstract

Radio frequency (RF) plasma in water was used for the degradation of methylene blue. The fraction of decomposition of methylene blue and the intensity of the spectral line from OH radical increased with RF power. RF plasma in water also produced hydrogen peroxide. The density of hydrogen peroxide increased with RF power and exposure time. When pure water (300 mL) is exposed to plasma at 310 W for 15 min, density of hydrogen peroxide reaches to 120 mg/L. Methylene blue after exposed to plasma degraded gradually for three weeks. This degradation may be due to chemical processes via hydrogen peroxide and tungsten. The comparison between the experimental and calculated spectral lines of OH radical (A–X) shows that the temperature of the radical is around 3,500 K. Electron density is evaluated to be ≃3.5 × 1020 m−3 from the stark broadening of the Hβ line.