BACKGROUND: Degradation of glucocorticoids (GCs), including fluocinolone acetonide (FA), triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and clobetasol propionate (CP), in water by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and DBD combined with calcium peroxide treatment (DBD/CaO 2 ) were investigated. Effects of discharge power, pH, plasma-working gas and CaO 2 dosage were examined during DBD and DBD/CaO 2 treatments. The synergistic output from the combination of CaO 2 with DBD on •OH concentration, pH, conductivity, CaO 2 adsorption and the overall influence on GC removal were assessed. Toxicity variations and feasibility to various water matrices by DBD and DBD/CaO 2 treatments also were analyzed and compared.
RESULTS:The removal efficiencies of FA, TA and CP achieved were 74%, 70% and 75%, respectively, at 36.68 W over 120 min in air with unadjusted pH (energy yield of 7.47 mg kW −1 h −1 ). Significant synergistic effects were observed in combining CaO 2 with DBD with a CaO 2 -concentration-dependent mechanism. The removal efficiency of FA, TA and CP increased by 7%, 32% and 31%, respectively, by DBD/CaO 2 in comparison with DBD alone after 60 min treatments at CaO 2 dosage of 0.4 g L −1 . In addition, DBD/CaO 2 treatment was more effective in controlling toxicity and had better efficacy in various water matrices than DBD alone.
CONCLUSION:This study provides a reference point for the application of DBD and DBD/CaO 2 treatments to effectively remove GCs from water.