Enhancing the potential use of microparticulate insecticides through removal of particles from raw grain

Abstract

The current study presents the design and evaluation of a laboratory device combining mechanical motion of wheat grain and turbulent air streaming inside a positive pneumatic conveyor system. The device recovers microparticulate nano-engineered alumina insecticide powders (NAIP) from treated grain. The particle removal efficiency of the conveying system was experimentally quantified by using a laboratory prototype assembled by attaching an electrostatic filter (EF) to the conveyors exhaust. Then, the NAIP particles detached from the grain inside the conveyor were drawn by the conveyors’ exhaust air stream into the EF, where particles bound to the electrodes due to electric charge differences. The NAIP particle load bound to the EF electrodes was removed and weighed to determine the efficiency of the wheat grain cleaning process. Our experimental results, under laboratory conditions, show that the recovery efficiency of the prototype averaged 98.0% (±1.4). Thus, the present study provides an innovative strategy to remove NAIP insecticide particles after storage, once their role as insecticide in stored grain has been fulfilled. This technology provides advancement in grain technology allowing the possibility to provide insecticide-free grain to the food market.