Plasma treatment of sulfamethoxazole contaminated water: Intermediate products, toxicity assessment and potential agricultural reuse.

The increasing global water demand has prompted the reuse of treated wastewater. However, the persistence of organic micropollutants in inefficiently treated effluents can have detrimental effects depending on the scope of the reclaimed water usage. One example is the presence of sulfamethoxazole, a widely used antibiotic whose interference with the folate synthesis pathway negatively affects plants and microorganisms.

Positive Effect Induced by Plasma Treatment of Seeds on the Agricultural Performance of Sunflower.

The need for efficient technologies to enhance productivity in agriculture strongly motivates research on plasma treatment of seeds and plants. In this study, the influence of plasma treatment on sunflower ( L.) seeds was evidenced throughout the entire life span of the plants.