Treatment of Fungus Contaminated Water using Plasma generated remotely from the power source

A plasma jet generated remotely from its power source using a floating copper wire inside a plastic tube has been employed in cleansing and purification of water contaminated with fungus. Three samples of fungus known to be highly infectious to crops, plants and seeds (Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium pseudograminearum, Alternaria graminicola) have been studied. The plasma jet created in helium or in a mixture of helium and nitrous oxide (N₂O) was completely immerged in the contaminated water. It appears that plasma ignited in the mixture is remarkably more efficient than that ignited in only helium. Adding N₂O to helium leads to the creation in water of highly reactive species as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). These species react with the fungal spores and lead to their destruction and to stop their reproduction. After 5 minutes of plasma jet treatment using the mixture of gases, a total decontamination of treated water was achieved.