Influence of oxygen in atmospheric-pressure argon plasma jet on sterilization of Bacillus atrophaeous spores
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, San 5 Wonchon-Dong, Youngtong-Gu, Suwon 443-749 (Korea, Republic of)
A nonequilibrium Ar/O{sub 2} plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure was carried out in a coaxial cylindrical reactor with a stepped electrode configuration powered by a 13.56 MHz rf power supplier. The argon glow discharge with high electron density produces oxygen reactive species in large quantities. Argon plasma jets penetrate deep into ambient air and create a path for oxygen radicals to sterilize microbes. A sterilization experiment with bacterial endospores indicates that an argon-oxygen plasma jet very effectively kills endospores of Bacillus atrophaeus (ATCC 9372), thereby demonstrating its capability to clean surfaces and its usefulness for reinstating contaminated equipment as free from toxic biological warfare agents. The decimal reduction time (D values) of the Ar/O{sub 2} plasma jet at an exposure distance of 0.5-1.5 cm ranges from 5 to 57 s. An actinometric comparison of the sterilization data shows that atomic oxygen radicals play a significant role in plasma sterilization. When observed under a scanning electron microscope, the average size of the spores appears to be greatly reduced due to chemical reactions with the oxygen radicals.
- OSTI ID:
- 21069851
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 14; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ARGON
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
BACILLUS
BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON DENSITY
GLOW DISCHARGES
MHZ RANGE
OXYGEN
PLASMA JETS
RADICALS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPORES
STERILIZATION