Multiple methods of improving plant development have been utilized over the past decades. Despite these improvements, there still exists a need for better planting methods due to the increasing population of a global community. Studies have reported that plasma treatment affects the growth and germination of a variety of plant species, including a multitude of grains which often takes the bulk in the diet of the average human being. This study explores the effect of atmospheric air plasma jet treatment on the seed germination of rice (Oryza sativa L.). The seeds were treated using an atmospheric air plasma jet for 1, 2, and 3 s. The effect of plasma exposure shows a reduction of trichomes on the surface of the seed. This caused a possible increase in wettability which significantly affected the seed germ length but did not affect the seed germination count after the germination period of 72 h.

The lack of proper waste management systems in various countries often results in a continual volume increase of plastic waste which when left unkempt may be detrimental to the environment. Plasma pyrolysis provides a possible solution to the problem of increasing polymeric waste by transforming polymers into reusable hydrocarbons and residual carbon at much lower temperatures compared to high temperature pyrolysis methods. The study analyses the resultant carbon as a result of the plasma pyrolysis of waste expanded polystyrene (WEPS) via industrial nitrogen plasma exposure for 20 min under varied flow rates (10, 13, 15 standard cubic feet per hour). From the optical emission spectroscopy spectra, the presence of C, O, and N ions were identified which indicates the possible presence of light-weight hydrocarbons as well as CO in the plasma. The residual solids were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and Raman spectroscopy which showed that the process was able to successfully produce carbon at lower temperatures and fluorescent carbon at higher temperatures from the decomposition of WEPS.