Ozone and hydrogen peroxyacetic acid treatment to reduce or remove EBDCs and ETU residues in a solution

Laboratory studies were conducted in a model system to determine the effects of ozone (1 and 3 ppm) and hydrogen peroxyacetic acid (HPA) (5 and 50 ppm) at pH 4.6, 7.0, and 10.7 and at 10 and 21 degreesC on the degradation of mancozeb in solution over a 30 min period. All samples were analyzed for residues by GLC and HPLC. Ozonation and HPA treatment were effective in degrading mancozeb in solution. Rate of mancozeb degradation was dependent on pH, with the fastest rate at pH 7.0. Ethylenethiourea (ETU) residue concentrations in the mancozeb solutions were monitored over 60 min. Under controlled conditions, the ETU residue concentrations increased during the 15 min reaction time and then decreased for all three pH values. At 3 ppm of ozone treatment, no ETU residues were detected at all three pH ranges after 15 min of reaction time. Degradation of ETU by HPA was greatest at pH 4.6, and no ETU residues remained after 5 min at either 5 or 50 ppm. The results showed that ozone and HPA gave excellent degradation of pesticide residues depending on pH and temperature. These experiments indicated the potential for the removal of pesticide residues on fruit and in processed products.