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Evaluation of bactericidal effects of low‐temperature nitrogen gas plasma towards application to short‐time sterilization
Author(s) -
Kawamura Kumiko,
Sakuma Ayaka,
Nakamura Yuka,
Oguri Tomoko,
Sato Natsumi,
Kido Nobuo
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2012.00457.x
Subject(s) - sterilization (economics) , geobacillus stearothermophilus , endospore , plasma , staphylococcus aureus , nitrogen , escherichia coli , d value , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , food science , materials science , chromatography , biology , chemistry , spore , biochemistry , organic chemistry , physics , thermophile , quantum mechanics , gene , monetary economics , economics , foreign exchange market , genetics , foreign exchange
To develop a novel low‐temperature plasma sterilizer using pure N 2 gas as a plasma source, we evaluated bactericidal ability of a prototype apparatus provided by NGK Insulators. After determination of the sterilizing conditions without the cold spots, the D value of the BI of Geobacillus stearothermophilus endospores on the filter paper was determined as 1.9 min. However, the inactivation efficiency of BI carrying the same endospores on SUS varied to some extent, suggesting that the bactericidal effect might vary by materials of sterilized instruments. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were also exposed to the N 2 gas plasma and confirmed to be inactivated within 30 min. Through the evaluation of bactericidal efficiency in a sterilization bag, we concluded that the UV photons in the plasma and the high‐voltage pulse to generate the gas plasma were not concerned with the bactericidal effect of the N 2 gas plasma. Bactericidal effect might be exhibited by activated nitrogen atoms or molecular radicals.