Decomposition of Acetic Acid Using Multiple Bubble Jets with Pulsed Electrical Discharge

The oxidation potential of ozone (2.07 V) is not sufficient to achieve the efficient decomposition of persistent organic pollutants in the conventional water treatment process. Strong oxidizing agents such as OH and O radicals (oxidation potential 2.80 and 2.42 V, respectively) were successfully generated using multiple bubble jets with pulsed electrical discharge and used for the decomposition of acetic acid (CH₃COOH), as a model pollutant. The flow dynamics of this novel water treatment process was clarified experimentally. The dynamic behavior of bubble jets with pulsed electrical discharge, streamer propagation along the bubble interface, and radical generation were investigated by high-speed visualization and spectroscopic measurements. The decomposition characteristics of CH₃COOH were determined such as applied frequency, the duty ratio of applied voltage, gas flow rate, the initial CH₃COOH concentration to achieve the maximum decomposition of CH₃COOH, and higher energy efficiency compared to the previous electrical discharge gas–liquid processes.