This study aims to inactivate Artemia sp. (Zooplankton) in ballast water through the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma process. The DBD plasma process has the advantage of enabling direct electric discharge in water and utilizing chemically active species generated by the plasma reaction. The experimental conditions for plasma reaction are as follows; high voltage of 9-22 kV, plasma reaction time of 15-600 s, and air flow rate of 0.5-5.5 L/min. The results showed that the optimal experimental conditions for Artemia sp inactivation were 16 kV, 60 s, 2.5 L/min, respectively. The concentrations of total residual oxidants and ozone generated by plasma reaction increased with an increase of in voltage and reaction time, and the concentration of generated air did not increase above a certain amount.

Ten empirical disinfection models for the plasma process were used to find an optimum model. The variation of model parameters in each model according to the operating conditions (first voltage, second voltage, air flow rate, pH, incubation water concentration) were investigated in order to explain the disinfection model. In this experiment, the DBD (dielectric barrier discharge) plasma reactor was used to inactivate Phytophthora capsici which cause wilt in tomato plantation. Optimum disinfection models were chosen among ten models by the application of statistical SSE (sum of squared error), RMSE (root mean sum of squared error), r2 values on the experimental data using the GInaFiT software in Microsoft Excel. The optimum models were shown as Log-linear+Tail model, Double Weibull model and Biphasic model. Three models were applied to the experimental data according to the variation of the operating conditions. In Log-linear+Tail model, Log10(No), Log10(Nres) and kmax values were examined. In Double Weibull model, Log10(No), Log10(Nres), α, δ1, δ2, p values were calculated and examined. In Biphasic model, Log10(No), f, kmax1 and kmax2 values were used. The appropriate model parameters for the calculation of optimum operating conditions were kmax, α, kmax1 at each model, respectively.

Plasma reactor was used for the inactivation of Phytophthora capsici which is phytophthora blight pathogen in aquiculture. Effects of first voltage, second voltage, air flow rate, pH, incubation water concentration were examined. At the low 1st voltage, under 80 V, the lag phase was noticed within 30 sec, however, it was not shown over 100 V. The variation of optimum operation condition was not shown by the variation of microorganisms. However, the inactivation rate was different by the variation of species of microorganisms. The inactivation rate and efficiency were increased by the increase of 2nd voltage. The highest initial inactivation rate was shown at pH 3 and the rate was decreased by the increase of pH. The inactivation rate increased by the increase of air flow rate, however, it was shown as similar at the rate of 4 L/min and 5 L/min. The inactivation rate was distinctly decreased at the three times concentration of incubation solution comparing at the distilled water and basic incubation solution.

For the field application of dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor in nutrient solution culture, a filtration-DBD (dielectric barrier discharge) plasma reactor was investigated for the Ralstonia solanacearum which causes bacterial wilt in aquiculture. The filtration-DBD plasma reactor system of this study was consisted of filter, plasma reactor, reservoir. The DBD plasma reactor consisted of a quartz dielectric tube, discharge electrode (inner) and ground electrode (outer). The experimental results showed that the inactivation of R. solanacearum with filter media type in filter reactor ranked in the following order: anthracite > fiber ball > sand > ceramic ball > quartz ceramic. In filtration + plasma process, disinfection effect with the voltage was found to small. In disinfection time of 120 minutes, residual R. solanacearum concentration was 1.17 log (15 CFU/mL). When the continuous disinfection time was 120 minute, disinfection effect was thought to keep the four days. In sporadic operation mode of 30 minutes disinfection - 24 hours break, residual R. solanacearum concentration after five days was 0.3 log (2 CFU/ mL). It is considered that most of R. solanacearum has been inactivated substantially.

For the field application of dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor, a multi-plasma reactor was investigated for the inactivation of microorganisms in sewage. We also considered the possibility of degradation of non-biodegradable matter (UV254) and total organic carbon (TOC) in sewage. The multi-plasma reactor in this study was divided into high voltage neon transformers, gas supply unit and three plasma modules (consist of discharge, ground electrode and quartz dielectric tube). The experimental results showed that the inactivation of microorganisms with treated water type ranked in the following order: distilled water > synthetic sewage effluent >> real sewage effluent. The dissolved various components in the real sewage effluent highly influenced the performance of the inactivation of microorganisms. After continuous plasma treatment for 10 min at 180 V, residual microorganisms appeared below 2 log and UV254 absorbance (showing a non-biodegradable substance in water) and TOC removal rate were 27.5% and 8.5%, respectively. Therefore, when the sewage effluent is treated with plasma, it can be expected the inactivation of microorganisms and additional improvement of water quality. It was observed that the NH4 +-N and PO4 3--P concentrations of sewage was kept at the constant plasma discharging for 30 min. On the other hand, NO3 --N concentration was increased with proceeding of the plasma discharge.

Effect of improvement of the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma system on the inactivation performance of bacteria were investigated. The improvement of plasma reactor was performed by combination with the basic plasma reactor and UV process or combination with the basic plasma reactor and circulation system which was equipped with gas-liquid mixer. Experimental results showed that tailing effect was appeared after the exponential decrease in basic plasma reactor. There was no enhancement effect on the Ralstonia Solanacearum inactivation with combination of basic plasma process and UV process. The application of gas-liquid mixing device on the basic plasma reactor reduced inactivation time and led to complete sterilization. The effect existence of gas-liquid mixing device, voltage, air flow rate (1 ～ 5 L/min), water circulation rate (2.8 ～ 9.4 L/min) in gas—liquid mixing plasma, plasma voltage and UV power of gas—liquid mixing plasma+UV process were evaluated. The optimum air flow rate, water circulation rate, voltage of gas-liquid mixing system were 3 L/min, 3.5 L/min and 60 V, respectively. There was no enhancement effect on the Ralstonia Solanacearum inactivation with combination of gas-liquid mixing plasma and UV process.

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor was investigated for the inactivation of Ralstonia Solanacearum which causes bacterial wilt in aquiculture. The DBD plasma reactor of this study was divided into power supply unit, gas supply unit and plasma reactor. The plasma reactor consisted of a quartz dielectric tube, discharge electrode (inner) and ground electrode (outer). The experimental results showed that the optimum 1st voltage, 2nd voltage, air flow rate and pH were for 100 V (1st voltage), 15 kV (2nd voltage), 4 L/min, and pH 3, respectively. At a low 1st voltage, shoulder and tailing off phenomena was observed. The shoulder phenomenon was decreased as the increase of 1st voltage. R. Solanacearum disinfection in the lower air flow rate was showed shoulder and tailing off phenomenon because the active species generated less. Under optimum condition, shoulder and tailing off phenomenon was reduced. When the 2nd voltage was less than 7.5 kV, tailing off phenomenon was observed and this was not vanishes even though the increase of the disinfection time. The inactivation efficiency increased as the increase of air flow rate, however, the efficiency decreased when the air flow rate was above 4 L/min. R. Solanacearum disinfection at pH 3 showed somewhat higher than in pH 11. The pH effect of R. Solanacearum deactivation is less than the impact on other factor.