Application of Natural Zeolite as Catalyst in the Degradation of the Azo Dye DO39 by Plasma.

The discharge of industrial wastewater with dyes into natural tributaries has serious environmental consequences on aquatic ecosystems and the health of living beings. Atmospheric plasmas have proven to be very useful for the degradation of organic contaminants in water; in this context, corona type discharge, owing to its physical characteristics, is capable of degrading and even mineralizing dyes dissolved in water. In this work, zeolite was used as a catalyst in the degradation of the textile azo dye Direct Orange 39 (DO39) through interaction with plasma generated at atmospheric pressure.