Performance of a plasma induced oxidation on the removal of indoor volatile organic compounds

There is much interest in developing new technologies in order to improve indoor air quality. In this study non-thermal plasma (DC negative corona discharge) was explored as an innovative process for indoor air purification. Lab-scale test for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) removal in an enclosed chamber, including a first-stage electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and UVA lamp, were executed for simultaneous removal of gaseous and particulate contaminants. Measurements of the temporal variation of the VOC concentration were employed for evaluating the rate removal. The ozone generation rate was noticeably decreased when the UVA lamp was operating. It is believed that additional studies are needed in the area of ozone enhanced oxidation with the aim to identify reaction products, allowing a better understanding of the degradation pathway of VOC in a non-thermal plasma.