Antimicrobial treatment of heat sensitive products by miniaturized atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs)

TLDR

The technological potential of non‑thermal plasmas for antimicrobial treatment of heat‑sensitive materials is well known, yet industrial implementation remains a great challenge due to the need to consider product properties and full reprocessing cycles. The study aims to demonstrate the applicability of plasma‑based processes for antimicrobial treatment of selected heat‑sensitive products. The authors employ modular, selective, miniaturized atmospheric‑pressure plasma jets that can be adapted to the products to be treated.

Abstract

The technological potential of non-thermal plasmas for the antimicrobial treatment of heat sensitive materials is well known. Despite a multitude of scientific activities with considerable progress within the last few years, the realization of industrial plasma-based decontamination or sterilization technology remains a great challenge. This may be due to the fact that an antimicrobial treatment process needs to consider all properties of the product to be treated as well as the requirements of the complete procedure, e.g. a reprocessing cycle of medical instruments. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the applicability of plasma-based processes for the antimicrobial treatment on selected heat sensitive products. The strategy is to use modular, selective and miniaturized plasma sources, which are driven at atmospheric pressure and adaptable to the products to be treated.