Degradation of phenol by underwater pulsed corona discharge in combination with TiO2 photocatalysis

Non-thermal plasma-induced degradation of phenol by pulsed high-voltage discharge generated in water using point to plane geometry of electrodes was investigated in the presence of photocatalytically active TiO2. The phenol removal attributed directly to the effects of plasma chemical activity of the discharge was enhanced in the presence of TiO2. At the same time, higher formation of 1,4-benzoquinone as the main primary aromatic by-product and increased accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the solution were found. The main effect of TiO2 addition was in the utilizing of ultraviolet radiation from the plasma resulting in the photocatalytical formation of OH radicals on the surface of TiO2 particles and, thus, in the increase of the yield of OH radicals available for phenol degradation.