Treatment of humic acids solutions by DC diaphragm discharge

Abstract

This paper presents results obtained from a preliminary investigation of humic acids solutions treated by the DC non-pulsed diaphragm discharge. The first attempts at the removal of humic acids from water by the diaphragm discharge were carried out in a batch discharge reactor. The UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy and the fluorescence spectroscopy were used as fast analytical methods for the determination of changes in humic acids chemical structure. From the obtained fluorescence spectra of the treated solutions, the index of humification was calculated as a ratio of the emission intensities at 470 and 400 nm. The index value points to the ratio of aromatic and aliphatic components in the humic acids mixture. The decrease of the index indicates the increasing aliphatic character of the mixture. Results obtained from the discharge treatment of humic acids solutions are compared to those obtained from experiments with organic dyes dissolved in water and their decomposition by the diaphragm discharge.