Effect of water vapor on benzene decomposition using a nonthermal-discharge plasma reactor

The effect of water vapor on benzene decomposition in air was investigated using a nonthermal-discharge plasma reactor packed with ferroelectric mater ials. The conversion of benzene was found to decrease with an increase of w ater concentration. on the other hand, the selectivity to CO2 in the decomp osition products increased with an increase of water concentration. A compa rison between the benzene conversion to CO and CO2 suggested that CO format ion was suppressed by water to a greater extent than was CO2 formation. N2O formation also decreased with an increase of water concentration. These re sults suggest that the activity of oxygen species responsible for the forma tion of CO and N2O is reduced by water.