Low-temperature
plasma
was
used
to
control
bacteria,
endotoxins
and
natural
organic
matter
(NOM)
in
water
by
a
dielectric
barrier
discharge
(DBD)
device.
Results
indicate
that
DBD
plasma
has
an
obvious
inactivation
effect
on
various
bacteria
in
water.
The
degree
of
inactivation
from
difficult
to
easy
is
as
follows:
Bacillus
subtilis
>
Escherichia
coli
>
Staphylococcus
aureus
.
Activated
ultrapure
water
treated
using
DBD
plasma
exhibited
a
sustained
sterilization
effect,
but
this
sterilization
effect
decreased
gradually
after
1
h.
The
total-endotoxin
(free-endotoxin
and
bound-endotoxin)
released
by
Escherichia
coli
during
inactivation,
as
well
as
artificially
simulated
endotoxin
in
a
control
solution,
was
significantly
controlled
by
DBD
plasma.
Both
the
metabolites
that
appeared
after
inactivation
of
microorganisms
by
plasma
treatment,
and
the
NOM
in
filtration
effluent
of
a
water
treatment
plant
were
well
removed
by
DBD
plasma
if
the
treatment
duration
was
sufficiently
long.
However,
the
acute
toxicity
increased
significantly,
and
persisted
for
at
least
2
h,
indicating
that
some
long-life
active
substances
were
generated
during
the
DBD
process.
Therefore,
the
removal
of
bacteria,
endotoxins
or
NOM
does
not
mean
a
safe
water
is
produced.
It
is
also
important
to
eliminate
the
toxicity
and
byproducts
produced
during
water
treatment
for
the
continuous
promotion
and
industrial
application
of
DBD
plasma.