On the performance and mechanisms of toluene removal by FeO x /SBA-15-assisted non-thermal plasma at atmospheric pressure and room temperature

•FeOx/SBA-15 was successfully utilized for toluene removal in plasmas.•Bulk-oxygen in the catalyst was involved in the toluene oxidation.•The iron loaded on SBA-15 promoted oxygen adsorption over the catalyst surface.•The pathways of toluene decomposition were proposed.