Abstract
Non-buffered plasma-activated liquids such as water and saline have shown bactericidal effects. In the present study, we investigated the anti-bacterial efficacy and stability of plasma-activated water (PAW) and plasma-activated saline (PAS), generated using a high voltage dielectric barrier discharge system. This study compares the potential of non-buffered plasma-activated liquids (PAL) for the inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) after storage of the solutions at five different temperatures for a storage time up to 18 months after their generation. The temperatures used were room temperature, 4 °C, −16 °C, −80 °C, −150 °C. Both PAW and PAS achieved 6 log reduction for both bacteria on the first day of their generation after 60 min contact time and they retained these effects after 18 months when stored at the lowest temperatures. Chemical analysis of PAL showed that plasma caused a drop in pH, generation of reactive oxygen species and nitrates, whereas no nitrites are detected in the system used. The concentrations of chemical species were affected by the storage at different temperatures and a thermocouple probe was used to investigate the freezing behaviour of the PAL.
Highlights
The threat of antibiotic resistance has attracted a lot of interest in the 21st century, leading to antimicrobial stewardship programs and research on alternative antimicrobial therapies, as existing antibiotics are becoming a limited resource
In our previous study we have reported that plasma-activated water (PAW) and plasma-activated saline (PAS) can maintain their antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus for several days [25]
The practical application of plasma-activated liquids (PAL) in biomedical, food or processing sectors would benefit from an ability to generate these liquids off-site, and retention of functional stability over long-term storage
Summary
The threat of antibiotic resistance has attracted a lot of interest in the 21st century, leading to antimicrobial stewardship programs and research on alternative antimicrobial therapies, as existing antibiotics are becoming a limited resource. Significantly less consideration has been given to the directly related issue of resistance toward antiseptics and biocides [1]. There is a need for an “antiseptic stewardship” initiative and for effective disinfection methods in a variety of sectors. Such technology should be sustainable in terms of energy efficiency, and safe for both human and environment. Atmospheric cold plasma processing techniques have gained importance among researchers during the last decade, for antimicrobial applications. Plasma discharge generates an array of reactive chemical species which give it a great potential to address issues mentioned above
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