Optimized treatment approach for inactivation of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae ​through non-thermal plasma

Non-thermal plasma is a high-energy gas created when an electric current is passed through a gas. The use of plasma on sensitive materials such as human tissue, food products, medical services, and the packaging industry was therefore impractical. However, over the last year, technological breakthroughs have made it possible to produce low-temperature plasma under atmospheric conditions, providing many advantages. Plasmas have shown success in the decontamination of a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, and have even shown success in damaging bacteria spores. Traditional methods of sterilization have disadvantages such as the thermal effect and the production of toxic and chemical residues. In our research, we have presented an applicable and outstanding device for sterilization. The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is a low temperature and atmospheric pressure plasma source that is created between two conductive electrodes connected to an AC power supply. At least one of the electrodes is covered by the dielectric layer. To study the effect of DBD plasma on bacteria, we studied its inactivation influence on Escherichia coli and Klebsiella. The result of DBD plasma treatment of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella shows that complete sterilization occurs after 30 s, 60 s, and 90 s of exposure time without any thermal effect, and increasing the exposure time and voltage increases the inactivation effect of cold plasma. So, non-thermal and non-destructive methods could be used to kill bacteria and other agents that cause infections in hospitals.