Competing Inactivation Agents for Bacterial Spores in Radio‐Frequency Oxygen Plasmas

Abstract

Abstract The inactivation of Bacillus subtilis spores in a low pressure RF oxygen plasma was studied. The experiments were especially designed to discriminate the relative importance of the competing spore inactivation agents. The decimal reduction values, characteristic for the action on the spores of heat, optical radiation and plasma particles, respectively, were estimated for different injected RF powers. These results indicated that during the initial stage of sample treatment, the most important inactivation agent is the optical radiation, whereas during the second stage of treatment, the leading role is assumed by the plasma particles. The dependence of spore inactivation kinetics on the injected RF power was also studied, by using the Z‐value. magnified image