Non-Thermal Plasma Decontamination of E. Coli and S. Aureus – Research and Review

Current sterilization techniques employ high temperatures or chemical agents to achieve cellular death. These techniques are not viable for use on materials sensitive to heat or harsh chemicals therefore a new method of sterilization is desired. This report focuses on the feasibility of using non-thermal plasmas to sterilize common bacteria (Thiyagarajan, Alexeff et al. 2005; Fridman, Friedman et al. 2008).

A variety of studies using non-thermal plasma to sterilize bacteria have been performed. In this study, the ability of plasma to inhibit or kill bacteria commonly found on hospital or food surfaces, such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, will be tested using a plasma machine. These bacteria are opportunistic pathogenic organisms which may cause food poisoning, gastroenteritis, and pneumonia, and their control is critical in environments such as food processing plants or hospitals. The non-thermal plasma treatment of the bacteria will be conducted using a plasma machine for specific times and with different distance parameters. As a result of the experiment, the most efficient time of the plasma exposure on S. aureus is 180 seconds and the most efficient distance between the plasma needle and the surface is 2 centimeters. These results support the eliminating ability of the non thermal plasma on the growth of bacteria.

Fridman, G., G. Friedman, et al. (2008). "Applied plasma medicine." Plasma Processes and Polymers 5(6): 503-533.

Thiyagarajan, M., I. Alexeff, et al. (2005). "Atmospheric pressure resistive barrier cold plasma for biological decontamination." Ieee Transactions on Plasma Science 33(2): 322-323.