Decontamination of Ametryne HDPE packaging using electron beam accelerator

Abstract This paper is part of a project to evaluate pesticide degradation on commercial polymeric (high-density polyethylene, HDPE) packaging material. The herbicide studied was Ametryne whose residues may be detectable in water, soil and on the surfaces for months or years, depending on the pesticide formulation and type of application. In order to evaluate the efficiency of radiation processing on removal of the pesticides contamination; the packaging material were irradiated using Radiation Dynamics Electron Beam Accelerator with 1,5 MeV energy and 37 kW, in batch system. The samples were irradiated with water, in various absorbed doses. Ametryne was analyzed by gas chromatography after extraction with hexane/dichloromethane (1:1 v/v) solution. The radiation processing yield was evaluated by the destruction G -value (Gd), and the electron beam irradiation processing, showed higher efficiency in destroying Ametryne in the HDPE packaging when the samples were irradiated in the presence of small quantities of water.