Location: Crop Improvement and Protection Research
Project Number: 2038-22430-002-006-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2016
End Date: Sep 30, 2020
Objective:
Evaluate and improve efficiency of UV enhanced photocatalytic oxidation using titanium dioxide for nitric oxide removal. Develop safe and effective nitric oxide fumigation treatment protocols for postharvest pest control on fresh products.
Approach:
A major disadvantage of nitric oxide fumigation is that nitric oxide has to be released into the atmosphere as an air pollutant at the end of fumigation. This project focus on developing and optimizing UV enhanced photocatalytic oxidation using titanium dioxide to destruct nitric oxide at the end of nitric oxide fumigation and thereby make the fumigation treatment more environmental friendly. A commercial scale nitric oxide destruction device is being built by industry and the device will be used as a platform to study effectiveness of the technology and develop optimal protocols for destruction of nitric oxide at the end of fumigation. The method will also be tested in large scale nitric oxide fumigation trials to determine its applicability in nitric oxide fumigation.
