Funding Agency:  Avrupa Birliği -  HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-TALENTS-02-01

Project Coordinator : Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kübra Altuntaş
Advisor: Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu

Within the scope of this project, the integration of membrane processes in cold atmosheric plasma (CAP) process will be studied for the mineralization of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) which are difficult to treat. The high chemical stability of PFASs and their widespread use in industrial and commercial applications such as surfactants and emulsifiers have caused PFASs to enter many water sources in the world. Toxic and carcinogenic PFASs entering our water cycle are one of the biggest concerns of the 21st century. According to recent studies, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) process provides superior treatment compared to other advanced oxidation processes in PFAS degradation. However, mineralization of short-chain PFASs is still not possible with current technologies. This challenge will be investigated in this study by combining membrane technology with cold atmospheric plasma technology (Memb-CAP). This innovative Memb-CAP reactor will represent a major leap forward in water/wastewater treatment technology, enabling significant progress in the application of CAP in large-scale treatment plants.

                                    
(a) Representative cold atmospheric plasma setup.                  (b) Image of the plasma to be generated