Degradation of Pesticide Residues in Apples by Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Device

Abstract

This paper demonstrates a device with crossed electrode array by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). The device was used for the degradation experiments of pesticide residues on the apples’ surface. The apples were analyzed using infrared hyperspectral imaging. The results show that the purification efficiency of pesticide residues is more than 92%, and the purification efficiency of emamectin benzoate (A) is up to 99.99%. The color, flavor and nutritional value of the apples are not significantly affected. The condition required for the experiment is that the flow rate of air gas is 2 L/min. In additions, the frequency of power is 6.5 kHz and the optimal discharge voltage (peak-to-peak voltage) is 15.6 kV. Therefore, the device offers a new approach to fruits and vegetable purification and other research fields.