Environmental applications of electric discharges are being considered increasingly more often: they imply the chemical properties of the activated species generated in and by the discharge. An overview of the resulting chemical effects is presented, based on rationalized classification, i.e., acid-base effects, oxidizing properties, complex forming reactions, and radical reactions. The gliding discharge is considered to be a specifically suitable plasma source for the treatment of liquids for pollutant abatement in the scope of sustainable environment, and this justifies an overview of the chemical properties. Special emphasis is devoted to temporal post-discharge reactions (TPDRs), which occur when the target is no longer exposed to the plasma source, and several typical examples are detailed. These recently evidenced TPDRs seem to present some general character. They are the key parameters to estimating the efficiency of a discharge treatment; they also have major technical and economical importance for the application of the plasma treatment to pollutant and/or micro-organism abatement at atmospheric pressure and quasi-ambient temperature.

Aim:  To evaluate the microbial disinfection efficacy of a plasmachemical solution obtained by the activation of water with gliding electric discharges. Methods and Results:  Distilled water was activated for 5 min by a nonthermal quenched plasma of the glidarc type operating in humid air and at atmospheric pressure. The plasma‐activated water (PAW) was then used to treat planktonic and adherent cells of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides (as models of Gram‐positive bacteria), Hafnia alvei (a Gram‐negative bacteria) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (as a yeast model). The treatments were less efficient on adherent cells than on planktonic cells in the case of bacteria, but not of S. cerevisiae. Inactivation was more effective for bacteria than for the yeast. Conclusions:  Significant reductions in microbial populations were achieved in all cases, demonstrating the effectiveness of this new approach to treat contaminated media. Significance and Impact of the Study:  PAW is a promising solution with potential application to the decontamination of equipment and surfaces.