E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and B. cereus Bacteria Sterilization Using Afterglow of Non-Thermal Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract

We developed and employed a new geometrical structure of dielectric barrier discharge in atmospheric pressure for bacterial broad spectrum sterilization. We utilized a plasma source having an AC power supply at 50 HZ and 5,400 V (rms value). We prepared suspensions of the Gram-negative bacteria species (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and a Gram-positive of Bacillus cereus with Luria-Bertani broth media up to OD(600 nm) = 0.25 of McFarland standard. Afterglow of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma treated these suspensions. The influence of the atmospheric plasma afterglow on the species was assayed in different time durations 5, 10, and 15 min. The spectroscopic results of this investigation indicated that the survival reduction of the species can reach to 100% for P. aeruginosa in an exposure time of 10 min, E. coli and B. cereus in an exposure time of 15 min.