Inactivation of bacteria using dc corona discharge: role of ions and humidity
Open Access
- 1 October 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by IOP Publishing in New Journal of Physics
- Vol. 13 (10), 103033
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/13/10/103033
Abstract
Here we present the results of an experimental study of the effect of ions produced in a dc corona discharge on inactivation of bacteria on the surface of agarose gel. Both positive and negative corona discharges in various gases at different humidities were studied. The measurements in air, O2, N2, Ar and He mixtures show that there is no inactivation in pure N2, pure O2 and an N2–H2O mixture. The best results were achieved in the case of direct treatment, when discharge was ignited in oxygen and water-containing mixtures. We show that neither UV radiation, ozone or H2O2 nor other neutral active species alone produced by corona have an effect on bacteria viability. It is shown that the main role of charged particles may be related to the faster transport of active peroxide species—cluster ions OH−(H2O)n and H3O+(H2O)n. The efficiency of these radicals is much higher than that of the oxygen radicals and ions (including O−2, O+4 and O3) and that of nitrogen and argon ions.Keywords
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- A novel plasma source for sterilization of living tissuesNew Journal of Physics, 2009
- Physical and biological mechanisms of direct plasma interaction with living tissueNew Journal of Physics, 2009
- Non-thermal plasma technologies: New tools for bio-decontaminationBiotechnology Advances, 2008
- Comparison of Direct and Indirect Effects of Non‐Thermal Atmospheric‐Pressure Plasma on BacteriaPlasma Processes and Polymers, 2007
- Killing of S. mutans Bacteria Using a Plasma Needle at Atmospheric PressureIEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 2006
- Bactericidal Action of the Reactive Species Produced by Gas-Discharge Nonthermal Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure: A ReviewIEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 2006
- Development of a new atmospheric pressure cold plasma jet generator and application in sterilizationChinese Physics, 2006
- Mechanisms of Bacterial Spore Deactivation Using Ambient Pressure Nonthermal DischargesIEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 2004
- Evaluation of the roles of reactive species, heat, and UV radiation in the inactivation of bacterial cells by air plasmas at atmospheric pressureInternational Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 2004
- A parametric study of the destruction efficiency of Bacillus spores in low pressure oxygen‐based plasmasLetters in Applied Microbiology, 1998