In　the　present　work,　a　pulse-modulated　high-frequency　(HF)　dielectric　barrier　discharge　(DBD)　plasma　has　been　employed　and　utilized　to　evaluate　the　feasibility　of　toluene　degradation　in　a　multistage　rod-type　reactor　at　room　temperature.　Experimental　result　indicates　that　the　energy　consumption　is　significantly　reduced　and　heating　effect　can　be　effectively　suppressed　when　the　DBD　plasma　is　ignited　in　pulse-modulated　mode　instead　of　continuous　mode.　The　response　surface　methodology　(RSM)　based　on　central　composite　design　(CCD)　model　has　been　proposed　to　evaluate　the　contribution　of　key　operating　parameters　including　duty　cycle　and　modulation　frequency.　The　proposed　model　offers　a　good　fit　for　actal　data.　The　contribution　of　the　modulation　frequency　is　observed　to　be　more　dominant　compared　to　the　duty　cycle　for　both　the　degradation　efficiency　and　the　energy　yield.　According　to　the　results　provided　by　the　proposed　model,　the　toluene　degradation　efficiency　of　62.9　%　and　the　energy　yield　of　0.90　g/kWh　are　obtained　under　the　optimal　conditions　of　400　Hz　modulation　frequency　and　56　%　duty　cycle.　The　effect　of　initial　toluene　concentration　and　gas　flow　rate　have　also　been　investigated.　Increasing　toluene　initial　concentration　and　gas　flow　rate　are　found　to　be　unfavorable　for　the　degradation　of　toluene,　however,　which　are　of　benefit　to　the　energy　yield.　A　long-time　experiment　to　assess　the　stability　of　pulse-modulated　DBD　has　been　successful　performed.　The　possible　pathways　in　plasma　degradation　of　toluene　is　proposed　based　on　the　intermediates　identification　using　GC–MS　and　FTIR.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.