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Bacteria Inactivation Using Low Power Pulsed Gliding Arc Discharges with Water Spray
Author(s) -
Burlica R.,
Grim R.G.,
Shih K.Y.,
Balkwill D.,
Locke B. R.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.200900183
Subject(s) - argon , bacteria , substrate (aquarium) , biofilm , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , plasma , atmospheric pressure , atmospheric pressure plasma , nitrate , materials science , environmental chemistry , biology , ecology , genetics , physics , oceanography , organic chemistry , geology , quantum mechanics
Low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma (produced by a 250 mW pulsed gliding arc discharge) with water spray was utilized to inactivate bacteria colonies of Escherichia coli grown on the surface of an agar substrate. The pH, solution conductivity, H 2 O 2 , and nitrate concentrations were determined for air and argon carrier gases and different water flow rates. Control experiments conducted by spraying solutions of H 2 O 2 in the absence of the discharge demonstrated that this chemical and its delivery by spraying account for approximately two to three orders of magnitude (depending upon bacterial loading) of the bacterial colony decontamination process for both carrier gases when bacteria are allowed to grow on the agar plate to form a biofilm. Reactive species or other factors arising from the gas flow from the plasma with the water spray caused bacteria inactivation of one to two orders of magnitude beyond those of spraying H 2 O 2 alone.