The volatile organic compounds BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene) petroleum derivatives, have high rates of toxicity, which may carry consequences for human health, biota and environment. In this directon, this paper proposes a method of treatment of these compounds by using corona discharge plasma technology. The efficiency of the method was tested by analyzing samples of BTEX after going through a plasma reactor by gas chromatography method. The results show that the optimal residence time of the sample in the reactor was 8 minutes. —BTEX, Degradation, Cold plasma. I. INTRODUCTION OLATILE organic compounds VOCs can impact in all spheres, both in the physical (due to emissions of VOCs to ozone formation), in the biotic (due to damage to fauna and flora caused by the emission of VOCs) and in the anthropogenic (because people's exposure to hydrocarbons caused by the emission of VOCs). Among the many studies on the determination of VOCs, there is an increased interest for compounds benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, known as BTEX, because their high rates of toxicity [1]. Exposure to these compounds, depending on the concentration and duration of exposure, can cause health ranging from fatigue, irritation of the nose, eyes and throat, weakness, mental confusion, seizures, coma and death to serious risks, with benzene considered the most toxic as potentially carcinogen. However, toluene is found in higher concentrations compared with the other constituents of BTEX [2]. BTEX contamination is related to products derived from petroleum, such as gasoline which has in its composition about 10 to 59% aromatics [3], and these monoaromatic hydrocarbons are the most soluble and the most mobile constituents of the gasoline fraction [3], [4]. Aware of this situation, this paper applies the technology of cold plasma or corona discharge to degrade BTEX. This degradation is possible due to the highenergy resulted by corona discharge, thus providing a good decomposition efficiency. A.L.V. Cubas is with Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina UNISUL, Av. Pedra Branca, 25 CEP 880137270, Palhoça, Santa Catarina – Brasil (phone: +554891217198; email: anelise.cubas@unisul.br). M.M.Machado is with Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina UNISUL, Av. Pedra Branca, 25 CEP 880137270, Palhoça, Santa Catarina Brasil (phone: +554899215155; email: marina.machado@hotmail.com). M.M.Machado is with Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina UNISUL, Av. Pedra Branca, 25 CEP 880137270, Palhoça, Santa Catarina Brasil (phone: +554899417802; email: mariliamedeirosm@gmail.com). The processes using the corona discharge, are also known as "corona plasma" or "cold plasma". This process is called as a partially ionized gas in which the mean energy of the electrons is considerably higher than that of the ions and gas molecules. The energy produced to generate cold plasma is very small being proportional to the increase in temperature that is close to 25ºC. A corona discharge is created by applying a series of high voltage pulses applied to a thin coaxial wire located inside a metal tube. A typical discharge cold plasma is incandescent or serpentine. Once generated the ionized gas, the electrons collide with gas molecules, creating chemically active species known as radicals. The radicals, once produced, can react with pollutant molecules in the gas stream, breaking them down into less harmful compounds or compounds easily handled [5]. The process of cold plasma has a very strong chemical reaction that may reduce and decompose toxic contaminants in the gas phase. The ability of plasma oxidation is stronger than ozone and key points for the practical use of the process are process reliability, energy efficiency (economic) and plasma treatment of postprocessed gases by plasma [6]. II.MATERIALS AND METHODS The methodology consisted of three steps; mounting the reactor, degradation of BTEX, and gas analysis. The body of the reactor consisted of a cylindrical quartz tube, coated aluminum foil, which served as one of electrodes in the center of the quartz tube was fixed a bolt of stainless steel, which served as the other electrode. It is worth highlighting that screw is fixed in two stoppers located at both ends of the quartz tube, which besides serving to seal the exits, keep the electrode (screw) in the center of the tube (Fig. 1). Fig. 1 Plasma reactor with annular cylindrical electrodes To check the efficiency of the reactor, experiments with volatile organic compounds BTEX were performed. The Anelise Leal Vieira Cubas, Marina de Medeiros Machado, Marília de Medeiros Machado BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) Degradation by Cold Plasma V World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Vol:8, No:5, 2014 415 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 8(5) 2014 ISNI:0000000091950263 Open Science Index, Environmental and Ecological Engineering Vol:8, No:5, 2014 publications.waset.org/9998161/pdf