Evaluation of antibiotic oxytetracycline removal in water using a gas phase dielectric barrier discharge plasma

This Figure illustrates the main process of oxytetracycline (OTC) removal by a gas phase dielectric barrier discharge (GPDBD) plasma system. The production of OH, H2O2, and O3 by discharge plasma is the critical step during OTC degradation process, and the OH radicals play a dominative role in organic compounds removal. HPLC-MS is employed to study the mechanism of OTC degradation. The results show that OTC would firstly be oxidized to some big molecule intermediates, and gradually be decomposed to a few of small molecule compounds and organic acids, even mineralized to CO2, H2O, NH4+ and NO3− ultimately.278