In this paper, a novel combined non-thermal plasma photolysis reactor was employed to decompose H2S in gas stream at atmospheric pressure. The filling gas pressure, applied voltage, and inlet H(2)5 concentration were altered with the aim to improve the energy efficiency. High H2S removal efficiency could be achieved with sufficient but reasonable energy density deposited on gas stream. The energy consumption per molecule of destructed H2S, 26 +/- 1.5 eV/molecule, was relatively low as compared with those values reported for plasma reactor operated at non-vacuum pressures and diluted condition. Furthermore, the H(2)5 decomposition mechanism was proposed as direct electron attachment, radicals and excited species attack and photo-dissociation based on byproducts analysis by GC and IC. The results revealed the potential for energy efficient destruction of H2S by combined plasma photolysis process. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.