Humic acid removal from micro-polluted source water using gas phase surface discharge plasma at different grounding modes

Humic acid (HA) was a predominant natural organic matter in ground water and surface waters. The removal of HA from micro-polluted source water using a gas phase surface discharge plasma at different grounding modes was studied, and three kinds of grounding modes (iron wire mesh, aluminized paper, and water) were selected. The experimental results illustrated that approximately 95.3% of HA in water was removed within 30 min’s discharge plasma treatment in the iron wire mesh electrode system, and it was 89.5% and 84.6% in the aluminized paper electrode system and water electrode system, respectively; although the strongest streamer discharge and the highest ozone equivalent concentration were both observed in the iron wire mesh electrode system. The discharge plasma treatment resulted in a relatively more homogeneous surface topography in the HA molecules as analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), especially in the iron wire mesh electrode system and in the aluminized paper electrode system. The decomposition process of HA at different grounding modes was analyzed and compared via the evolution of the UV–Vis spectrum, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) and UV absorption ratios with treatment time. In addition, the HA removal efficacy in this study was comparable with those of some other techniques.