Plasma activated water (PAW) can represent an alternative to chemical fertilizers in agriculture. The effects of PAW treatment applied in two concentrations (1.5 or 3.0 mg L−1 NO3−) on some morphological, physiological, biochemical parameters and yield of Lactuca sativa L. grown in two different pot volumes (400 or 3200 cm3) were investigated in this study. The results showed that both PAW concentrations did not influence the germination, once the process was initiated. Positive effects of the treatments were registered on the length of radicle and hypocotyls of lettuce at a concentration of 1.5 mg L−1 NO3− (PAW I), the chlorophyll content was significantly increased at a concentration of 3.0 mg L−1 NO3− (PAW II) and bigger pot volume, also the foliar weight and area. No significant differences between the treated and untreated plants were recorded for the root weight, leaf length and width. The dry weight was significantly higher for the lettuce treated with PAW I and II grown in big volume pots at 57 days after transplanting (DAT) and small volume pots at 64 DAT. The nitrites content of the lettuce grown in big pots was lower than of the lettuce grown in small pots, regardless of the PAW treatment. Contrary, the nitrates content was higher in the lettuce grown in big pots (up to 36.4 mg KNO3/g DW), compared to small pots (under 0.3 mg KNO3/g DW).

This study aims to present the properties of the polymeric films after being subjected to DBD plasma treatment in atmospheric conditions. Three different commercial films of polyester (Xerox Inkjet transparencies and Autostat CUS5 Clear film) and polycarbonate (Lexan™ 8010 MC) have been considered for the tests. The surface wettability has been evaluated based on static water contact angle (WCA) for different treatment times varying between 0.2 s and 30 s, the results revealing a maximum WCA decrease compared to a pristine of up to 50% for Xerox films, 75% for Autostat and 70% for Lexan. The persistence of the hydrophilic effect induced by the plasma treatment has also been verified for up to 72 h of storage after treatment, the results indicating a degradation of the treatment effects starting with the first hours after the treatment. The WCA stabilizes to a value inferior to the one corresponding to pristine in the first 24 h after plasma treatment. The adhesion forces, as well as preliminary surface morphology evaluations have been determined for the considered films using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The adhesion forces are increased together with the prolongation of the plasma treatment application time, varying from initial values of 165 nN, 58 nN and 204 nN to around 390 nN, 160 nN and 375 nN for Xerox, Autostat and Lexan films, respectively, after 5 s of DBD treatment. For the considered materials, the results revealed that the plasma treatment determines morphological changes of the surfaces indicating an increase in surface roughness.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of non-thermal plasma-activated water (PAW) on Triticum aestivum L. cv. Glosa sprouts. Two types of PAW were generated by exposing distilled water to a high-voltage electric discharge. Wheat caryopses were treated either with PAW1 (25 mg/L NO3−, 4 mg/L NO2−, and 6 mg/L H2O2) or PAW2 (35 mg/L NO3−, 5 mg/L NO2−, and 7.5 mg/L H2O2) for 8 days, with samples being collected at days 1, 2, 3, and 8. The germination rate, growth parameters, protein, photosynthetic pigments, total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity of free and bound phenolic fractions, and activity of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. Both PAW1 and PAW2 had positive effects on Triticum aestivum L. cv. Glosa sprouts. PAW2 had a better impact on sprouts with respect to growth parameters, free phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of the free phenolic fraction (day 3), the accumulation of proteins, and photosynthetic pigments (day 8). In conclusion, exposure to PAW increases the quality of Triticum aestivum L. cv. Glosa sprouts. Further optimization of PAW treatment is required for the most favorable impact on the accumulation of biomass and health-promoting compounds in sprouts.

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