Oxidation of elemental mercury using atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma Original Research Article

The oxidation of gas phase elemental mercury (Hg0) by atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma has been investigated at room temperature, employing both dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) of the gas mixture of Hg0 and injection of ozone (O3) into the gas mixture of Hg0. Results have shown that the oxidative efficiencies of Hg0 by DBD and the injection of O3 are 59% and 93%, respectively, with energy consumption of 23.7 J L−1. This combined approach has indicated that O3 plays a decisive role in the oxidation of gas phase Hg0. Also the oxidation of Hg0 by injecting O3 into the gas mixture of Hg0 proceeds with better efficiency than DBD of the gas mixture of Hg0. These results have been explained by the incorporation of the competitive reaction pathways between the formation of HgO by O3 and the decomposition of HgO back to Hg0 in the plasma environment.