20° SIMPOSIO INTERNAZIONALE SU GESTIONE DEI RIFIUTI
RECUPERO DI RISORSE E DISCARICA SOSTENIBILE / 13-17 OTTOBRE 2025

Plasma application for the removal of emerging contaminants
and micropollutants from water

ACTIVE LAB 03 + 04 / Martedì 10 Ottobre / 9:00 - 12:30

Organizzato da:
Mubbshir Saleem - University of Padua (IT)
Kubra Altuntas - Istanbul Technical University (TR)



Theoretical approach
1. Diagnostics
Plasma typologies
Equipment needed (power supplies, high voltage and current probes, oscilloscope)
Power determination
2. Treatment
Introduction to plasma reactors
Selection of the type of plasma based on the type contaminants; the case of surfactant and non-surfactant contaminants
3. Analysis
Equipment needed for chemical analyses and challenges; the case of PFAS
Determination of process kinetics
Calculation of energy efficiency of plasma treatment and comparison with Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)

Practical activities
Practical demonstrations of types of plasma discharges (Corona, Streamer, Radial discharge and DBD Barriers), using different types of power supplies, by means of small-scale prototypes.
Treatment of artificial wastewaters will be tested shown, selecting appropriate plasma typology according to the target contaminant (e.g. industrial dye, surfactants).

Safety details:
Plasma reactors will be constructed keeping in view the safety of the user and the participants. Similarlylower input power will be utilized to operate the plasma devices as low as 5 W.
Chemicals including household detergent to represent surfactants and methylene blue to represent a on surfactant industrial dye will be used to show the efficiency of plasma treatment.
The disappearance of foam in the case of detergent and color in the case of industrial dye will demonstratethe robustness of the plasma application for micropollutant removal.