Optimization and degradation pathway of DEP in water by dielectric barrier discharge

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is a chemical widely used in various materials. As a phthalic plasticizer, DEP has become a new pollutant in environment water. In this study, a double grounded dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma was used to degrade DEP in wastewater. By adding packing materials into the discharge space, a new type of packed bed DBD plasma system was formed to enhance the discharge effect and improve the removal rate of DEP. The active sites of DEP were analyzed using reductive Fukui function, reductive double character description, and Mayer bond level. The reaction degradation pathways, including hydroxylation and cleavage reactions, were proposed. Overall, the new packed bed DBD plasma system is an efficient, environmentally friendly, and economical technology for the degradation of difficult-to-remove contaminants in water.