In order to realize the optimized activation of persulfate by dielectric barrier discharge（DBD） for the treatment of tetracycline wastewater

the discharge voltage

the initial pH value of the solution and the persulfate dosage were selected as the independent variables

and the removal of tetracycline was as the response value. The effect of tetracycline degradation with persulfate activated by DBD was analyzed using the response surface method Box-Behnken design principle. The experimental results show that the order of the factors affecting the removal rate of tetracycline is as follows:the discharge voltage>persulfate dosage>initial pH value of the solution. The optimal conditions for the degradation of tetracycline in wastewater ar

e as follows: discharge voltage 18.0 kV

initial solution pH 8.48

persulfate dosage 138.89 mg

and the tetracycline removal rate reaches 95.9% under optimized conditions. The oxidative degradation of tetracycline accords with the first-order reaction kinetics. When the initial solution p H=3.9 and 5.9

the main free radical for degrading tetracycline is SO

4

–

·

when the initial solution pH=7.3 and 8.3

the main free radicals for degrading tetracycline are SO

4

–

· and ·OH; when the initial solution pH is 10.5

the main free radical for degrading tetracycline is ·OH.