Production of Solvated Electrons by Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jets

Contamination of ground water with polyfluoroalky substances (PFAS) is increasingly recognized as a major environmental issue. While many advanced oxidation and reduction methods are being explored, low-temperature plasma technologies offer particularly promising avenues to remediation. Our new lab at Colorado College is being built to study the application of atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) to PFAS contamination in collaboration with the Fountain Valley Water Project. Recently, it has become clear that free electrons dissolved in water ("solvated electrons") are particularly effective in their ability to breakdown and mineralize PFAS. Atmospheric pressure plasma has been demonstrated to produce solvated electrons in direct discharge at the water/plasma interface in studies by the Rumbach group at Notre Dame, but much remains to be understood. We present progress to date in identifying solvated electrons produced by APPJs, including the design of diagnostics, development of plasma sources, and preliminary measurements.