Plasma catalysis. A study of the influence of oxysulfur, SO_x^• species through the degradation of sulfonated dyes by non-thermal plasma

This work studied the degradation reaction of sulfonated dyes, indigo carmine, phenol red, and their mixtures by non-thermal plasma (NTP). Interestingly, the degradation rate constant showed a faster process and lower activation energy (E_a) for the dye mixtures than for the degradation reaction of the individual dyes. This unexpected result opened up new opportunities for understanding plasma chemistry and the interaction between reactive species formed by the plasma and the target molecule. As no catalyst or chemical additive was added to the reactor, the decrease in Ea came from a self-synergistic effect (SSE), through the dye molecules fragmentation, which resulted in plasma catalysis. The hypothesis proposed in this work is that oxysulfur (SO_x) species are formed by the desulfonation reaction of dyes. The sulfonic groups (SO₃) present in the chemical structures of dyes can function as precursors for forming several SO_x^•- species. Studies based on oxygenated sulfonated species such as SO₃^•-, SO₄^•- and SO₅^•- have been widely applied in advanced oxidative and reductive processes due to their satisfactory efficiency and low cost. Among them, SO₄^•- is the key reactive species with the best performance in the degradation of pollutants due to its high oxidation potential (E° = 2.60 V). In addition, it is an alternative source of HO^• in aqueous media, improving the oxidation reaction. In order to elucidate the SSE, the kinetic process was followed by UV-Vis analysis, and the reactive species, such as alkyl, hydroxyl, and oxy-sulfur radicals were identified by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. The by-products of the NTP degradation reaction were analyzed by ultrafast liquid chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer, and a fragmentation route was proposed.