Inactivation Techniques of Algae Water by Generation of High Voltage Discharge Plasma

Abstract

Generation of water surface discharge is considered as an effective technique for water pollution treatment. Natural growth of algae contamination in lake or pond water is a serious environmental problem in Bangladesh and also in various countries of the world. We used a high voltage AC source to generate discharge above water surface. It was observed that the discharges initiated as very small streamers branching from the sharpened positive electrode tip. At that time light intensity of the streamers was also very low. Later the streamers propagated above the water surface and finally converted into spark discharges with increasing input voltage. Chlamydomonas containing water had been chosen as a polluted sample because of its high abundance in Bangladesh. The result showed generation of water surface discharge plasma can be effectual for removing Chlamydomonas algae from water.