ABSTRACT
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are carbon-containing organic chemicals that have low water solubilities and high vapor pressures. VOCs form a class of water pollutant that has been addressed by environmental regulation in the past several decades due to the toxicity and contribution to global warming mechanisms of the toxicants. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimated that VOCs are present in one-fifth of the nation’s water supplies. However, chlorine is not suitable for removal of VOCs because of the possibility of the production of chlorinated organic compounds, including dioxins or dioxin-like compounds, which have significant toxicity to plants, animals, and humans. The application of nonthermal plasma directly in or water has a potential to solve most of the problems typical for alternative VOC treatment methods. Electric energy cost is one of the critical factors characterizing the plasma treatment of VOCs. Plasma systems have been effectively applied in the destruction of different chlorine-containing VOCs, including vinyl chloride, trichloroethylene, trichloroethane, and carbon tetrachloride.
