Project Code: PN-III-P3-3.1-PM-RO-FR-2019-0165
Contract no. 18 BM / 26.06.2019
Efficient
removal of antibiotic pollutants in water by non-thermal plasma
coupled
with other advanced oxidation processes (AQUA-PLAS)
ABSTRACT:
The project scope is to develop an efficient method for the degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants in water, based on non-thermal plasma coupled with other advanced oxidation processes, such as ozonation and heterogeneous catalysis. The studies will be focused on antibiotics belonging to various classes, since these compounds are hardly biodegradable and difficult to destroy by conventional techniques, and thus represent a serious concern with respect to water contamination. Electrical discharges generated in gas phase in contact with liquid will be used (corona – Romania, DBD - France), since encouraging results have already been obtained by the research teams involved in the project. The ozone produced in plasma will be efficiently re-used by bubbling it through the solution to be treated (plasma-ozonation configuration). The integration of suitable catalysts in plasma (plasma-catalytic configuration) may also promote the elimination of the investigated pollutants. Validating these water treatment techniques at laboratory scale and assessment of the efficiency, both from an energetic viewpoint and with respect to the mineralization of the target antibiotics (complete degradation to CO2 and H2O) represent the main goals of the project. The project will combine experimental research and numerical simulations in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the degradation of organic pollutants in plasma. The complementarity of the research teams represents an advantage for achieving the project objectives.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE:
The project objective is to develop an efficient method for the degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants in water (especially antibiotics), based on non-thermal plasma coupled with other advanced oxidation processes, such as ozonation and heterogeneous catalysis. The project intends to validate these water treatment techniques at laboratory scale and to assess their efficiency, both from an energetic viewpoint and with respect to the mineralization of the target antibiotics (complete degradation to CO2 and H2O). By combining experimental research and numerical simulations, in-depth understanding of the degradation of organic pollutants by plasma is desired.
ESTIMATED RESULTS:
- Efficient elimination of the target pharmaceutical pollutants (antibiotics) together with high mineralization.
- Understanding of the degradation mechanisms of organic pollutants in plasma combined with ozonation or catalysis, by chemical analysis of the treated water.
- In-depth understanding of the degradation of organic pollutants in plasma, by combining experimental research with molecular dynamics simulations.
- Concept of an integrated system including the three processes: plasma, ozonation and heterogeneous catalysis.
- Benefit to the young researchers involved in the project by collaboration with experienced researchers with complementary competences.
- The possibility of continuing the collaboration in the framework of other projects (eg European projects) on this topic, as well as the identification of new topics of mutual interest.
RESULTS
Articles:
1. F. Bilea, C. Bradu. M. Magureanu, Potential of plasma treatment as water reclamation process for irrigation, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 53 (2020) 224002, https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ab7c05
2. C. Bradu, K. Kutasi, M. Magureanu, N. Puač, S. Živković, Reactive nitrogen species in plasma-activated water: generation, chemistry and application in agriculture, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 53 (2020) 223001, https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ab795a
3. N. Korichi, O. Aubry, H. Rabat, B. Cagnon, D. Hong, Paracetamol degradation by catalyst enhanced non-thermal plasma process for a drastic increase in the mineralization rate, Catalysts 10 (2020) 959, https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10090959
4. M. Magureanu, F. Bilea, C. Bradu, D. Hong, A review on non-thermal plasma treatment of water contaminated with antibiotics, Journal of Hazardous Materials 417 (2021) 125481, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125481
5. P. Brault, M. Abraham, A. Bensebaa, O. Aubry, D. Hong, H. Rabat, M. Magureanu, Insight into plasma degradation of paracetamol in water using a reactive molecular dynamics approach, Journal of Applied Physics 129 (2021) 183304; https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0043944
6. T. Tian, H. Rabat, M. Magureanu, O. Aubry, D. Hong, Electrical investigation of a pin-to-plane dielectric barrier discharge in contact with water, Journal of Applied Physics 130 (2021) 113301; https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0056654
Conference communications:
1. D. Hong, Y. Baloul, N. Korichi, M. Magureanu, H. Rabat, C. Colas, B. Maunit, O. Aubry, Degradation of paracetamol in water by a DBD created non-thermal plasma, PhotonIcs & Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS 2019), 17-20.12.2019, Xiamen, China (oral presentation)
2. H. Rabat, N. Korichi, O. Aubry, D. Hong, Degradation of pharmaceutical molecules in aqueous solution by dielectric barrier discharges, PhotonIcs & Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS 2019), 17-20.12.2019, Xiamen, China (oral presentation)
3. M. Magureanu, F. Bilea, C. Bradu, D. Hong, Plasma degradation of antibiotic contaminants in water, 19th International Conference on Plasma Physics and Applications (CPPA 2021), 31.08-03.09.2021, Magurele, Romania (invited lecture)
4. F. Bilea, C. Bradu, A.V. Medvedovici, M. Magureanu, Removal of mixtures of pharmaceutical pollutants in aqueous solutions using non-thermal plasma, 1st Workshop on Plasma Applications for Smart and Sustainable Agriculture, 02-03.09.2021, Magurele, Romania (oral presentation)
5. P. Brault, M. Magureanu, C. Bradu, F. Bilea, Energy decomposition analysis of organic pollutants in water: a way for finding plasma degradation routes, 1st Workshop on Plasma Applications for Smart and Sustainable Agriculture, 02-03.09.2021, Magurele, Romania (oral presentation)
6. T. Tian, H. Rabat, M. Magureanu, O. Aubry, D. Hong, Study of a dielectric barrier discharge in contact with water, 19th International Conference on Plasma Physics and Applications (CPPA 2021), 31.08-03.09.2021, Magurele, Romania (oral presentation)
7. N. Korichi, O. Aubry, H. Rabat, B. Cagnon, D. Hong, Hybrid non thermal plasma/heterogeneous catalysis process for emerging contaminant mineralization in water, 19th International Conference on Plasma Physics and Applications (CPPA 2021), 31.08-03.09.2021, Magurele, Romania (oral presentation – prize for the best oral presentation)
8. M. Magureanu, F. Bilea, C. Bradu, D. Hong, Plasma degradation of water contaminants – focus on antibiotics, 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Plasma Physics (AAPPS-DPP 2021), 29.09-01.10.2021, remote e-conference (invited lecture)
Book Chapter
1. N. Morin-Crini, E. Lichtfouse, M. Fourmentin, A.R. Lado Ribeiro, C. Noutsopoulos, F. Mapelli, É. Fenyvesi, M. Gurgel Adeodato Vieira, L.A. Picos-Corrales, J.C. Moreno-Piraján, L. Giraldo, T. Sohajda, M. Mahmudul Huq, J. Soltan, G. Torri, M. Magureanu, C. Bradu, G. Crini, Remediation of Emerging Contaminants, in Emerging Contaminants Vol. 2. Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 66, Editori N. Morin-Crini, É. Lichtfouse, G. Crini, ISBN 978-3-030-69089-2, Springer Nature, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69090-8_1
Other results:
Seminars and visits
1. Seminar "Chimie de l’eau a Bucarest" / "Water chemistry in Bucharest", Dr. Corina Bradu, GREMI Orléans, 22.10.2019
2. Webminar "Degradation of organic pollutants in water by non-thermal plasma", Dr. Monica Magureanu 23.10.2019, broadcasted by Réseaux des Plasmas Froids, http://plasmasfroids.cnrs.fr/spip.php?article365
3. Seminar “From an overview of the research at the GREMI laboratory to a focus on the different researches in the Arc Team”, Dr. Hervé Rabat, INFLPR, 13.11.2019
4. Seminar “Pharmaceutical molecules degradation in water by non-thermal plasma and heterogeneous catalysis coupling”, Dr. Olivier Aubry, INFLPR, 13.11.2019
5. Seminar „Broadband absorption measurement of transient plasmas - Development of a compact radiation source”, Prof. Dunpin Hong, INFLPR, 30.08.2021
6. Seminar „RONS generated in non-thermal plasma in contact with liquid”, Dr. Corina Bradu, GREMI, 15.10.2021
PhD students
7. Research stay Tian Tian in INFLPR, 09.08-04.09.2021
8. Research stay Florin Bilea in GREMI, 10-30.10.2021
9. PhD report F. Bilea: "Mecanisme de degradare cu plasmă a amestecurilor de contaminanți organici din apă"/ “Plasma degradation mechanisms of mixtures of organic contaminants in water” – October 2020; The second report is under preparation and will be defended in December 2021
Project proposals:
10. Project proposal ERA-Net, Aquatic Pollutants 2020, „A valuable step in hospital wastewater management: remediation of antibiotics by an innovative catalyst-plasma technique” (GREMI, IC2MP, IXSANE – Franta, INFLPR – Romania, LEAE – Belgia) – not granted
11. Project proposal PCE 2020 – financed: „Non-thermal plasma - a promising candidate for wastewater recovery and safe reuse”, contract no. PCE 143 / 2021
12. Project proposal PED 2021 „Proof of concept for using cold plasma as a complementary tool in tackling a stringent public health crisis” cod PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2021-0255 – under evaluation. The project proposes an optimized laboratory demonstrator for using cold plasma as an advanced wastewater treatment process focused on antimicrobial resistance.
Editorial activity:
13. M. Magureanu, C. Bradu – guest editors, Special Issue "Plasma-Catalysis for Environmental and Energy-Related Applications", Catalysts, MDPI, https://www.mdpi.com/journal/catalysts/special_issues/plasma_catal