Hazardous and emerging contaminants removal from water by plasma-based treatment: A review of recent advances

Abstract

The opportunities, challenges, and future trends of the application of non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology in water purification is critically reviewed. Different plasma methods were introduced and discussed, then we zeroed in on NTP (a direct discharge plasma) because of its low energy requirement. Recent and major strategies for the application of NTP in water treatment were then presented and discussed. The main opportunities and challenges faced in the application of NTP for water purification were analyzed and discussed. Finally, the future trend in the application of NTP in water treatment was projected, and a possible future direction of research in water treatment was proposed. While NTP has gained massive attention for water purification, there is still room for improvement in terms of leveraging its synergy with advanced water treatment technologies like catalysis, membrane filtration, and biological degradation. These findings presented herein lay the foundation for future improvements that can be implemented in the application of NTP in water treatment.