Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin Solution
Antibiotic contamination constitutes a serious environmental and public health risk. In order to fill the gap in the study of plasma degradation of erythromycin (ERY), this paper systematically investigated the mechanism of ERY degradation by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. The underlying...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/3/625 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850068191461507072 |
|---|---|
| author | Yifan Liu Xiaolong Wang Zongzheng Wang Tianao Xv Xiaowen Dai Yadi Liu Ying Sun Tong Zhao Yuantao Zhang |
| author_facet | Yifan Liu Xiaolong Wang Zongzheng Wang Tianao Xv Xiaowen Dai Yadi Liu Ying Sun Tong Zhao Yuantao Zhang |
| author_sort | Yifan Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Antibiotic contamination constitutes a serious environmental and public health risk. In order to fill the gap in the study of plasma degradation of erythromycin (ERY), this paper systematically investigated the mechanism of ERY degradation by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. The underlying reaction mechanisms were investigated by experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. Plasma emission spectra revealed active hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and argon (Ar) spectral lines. The degradation efficiency of plasma treatment for ERY was found to be strongly influenced by treatment parameters, including applied voltage, treatment duration, and gas flow rate. In particular, a maximum degradation of 90% was achieved for a 250 mg/L ERY solution under conditions of 18 kV voltage, 850 sccm gas flow rate, and 60 min of treatment. The presence of ·OH and hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) in the reaction and their important role in the degradation were proved experimentally. Fracture of the ERY lactone ring induced by hydrogen abstraction reactions with reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed by molecular dynamics simulations. In the in vitro antimicrobial assays targeting <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, the treated solutions demonstrated low toxicity, underscoring the practical applicability of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technology in addressing antibiotic contamination in aquatic environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e3797fb6c04e4f85ab0fdcd1c33d1a75 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj-art-e3797fb6c04e4f85ab0fdcd1c33d1a752025-08-20T02:48:07ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-01-0130362510.3390/molecules30030625Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin SolutionYifan Liu0Xiaolong Wang1Zongzheng Wang2Tianao Xv3Xiaowen Dai4Yadi Liu5Ying Sun6Tong Zhao7Yuantao Zhang8School of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaSchool of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, ChinaAntibiotic contamination constitutes a serious environmental and public health risk. In order to fill the gap in the study of plasma degradation of erythromycin (ERY), this paper systematically investigated the mechanism of ERY degradation by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. The underlying reaction mechanisms were investigated by experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. Plasma emission spectra revealed active hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and argon (Ar) spectral lines. The degradation efficiency of plasma treatment for ERY was found to be strongly influenced by treatment parameters, including applied voltage, treatment duration, and gas flow rate. In particular, a maximum degradation of 90% was achieved for a 250 mg/L ERY solution under conditions of 18 kV voltage, 850 sccm gas flow rate, and 60 min of treatment. The presence of ·OH and hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) in the reaction and their important role in the degradation were proved experimentally. Fracture of the ERY lactone ring induced by hydrogen abstraction reactions with reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed by molecular dynamics simulations. In the in vitro antimicrobial assays targeting <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, the treated solutions demonstrated low toxicity, underscoring the practical applicability of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technology in addressing antibiotic contamination in aquatic environments.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/3/625dielectric barrier discharge plasmaantibiotic degradationerythromycin |
| spellingShingle | Yifan Liu Xiaolong Wang Zongzheng Wang Tianao Xv Xiaowen Dai Yadi Liu Ying Sun Tong Zhao Yuantao Zhang Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin Solution Molecules dielectric barrier discharge plasma antibiotic degradation erythromycin |
| title | Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin Solution |
| title_full | Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin Solution |
| title_fullStr | Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin Solution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin Solution |
| title_short | Investigation of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma for the Degradation of Erythromycin Solution |
| title_sort | investigation of dielectric barrier discharge plasma for the degradation of erythromycin solution |
| topic | dielectric barrier discharge plasma antibiotic degradation erythromycin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/3/625 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yifanliu investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT xiaolongwang investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT zongzhengwang investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT tianaoxv investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT xiaowendai investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT yadiliu investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT yingsun investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT tongzhao investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution AT yuantaozhang investigationofdielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaforthedegradationoferythromycinsolution |