Cold Atmospheric Helium Plasma Research Articles

Cold atmospheric plasma jet-generated RONS and their selective effects on normal and carcinoma cells.

Cold atmospheric helium plasma jets were fabricated and utilized for plasma–cell interactions. The effect of operating parameters and jet design on the generation of specific reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) within cells and cellular response were investigated. It was found that plasma treatment induced the overproduction of RONS in various cancer cell lines selectively. The plasma under a relatively low applied voltage induced the detachment of cells, a reduction in cell viability, and apoptosis, while the plasma under higher applied voltage led to cellular necrosis in our case. To determine whether plasma-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation occurs through interfering with mitochondria-related cellular response, we examined the plasma effects on ROS generation in both parental A549 cells and A549 ρ0 cells. It was observed that cancer cells were more susceptible to plasma-induced RONS (especially nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2−) radicals) than normal cells, and consequently, plasma induced apoptotic cell responses mainly in cancer cells.

The hormesis effect of plasma-elevated intracellular ROS on HaCaT cells

We have examined the link between ionized-gas plasma delivery of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to immortalized keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells and cell fate, defined in terms of cell viability versus death. Phospholipid vesicles were used as cell mimics to measure the possible intracellular ROS concentration, [ROSi], delivered by various plasma treatments. Cells were exposed to a helium cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) jet for different plasma exposure times (5–60 s) and gas flow rates (50–1000 ml min−1). Based upon the [ROSi] data we argue that plasma-generated ROS in the cell culture medium can readily diffuse into real cells. Plasma exposure that equated to an [ROSi] in the range of 3.81 × 10−10–9.47 × 10−8 M, measured at 1 h after the plasma exposure, resulted in increased cell viability at 72 h; whereas a higher [ROSi] at 1 h decreased cell viability after 72 h of culture. This may be because of the manner in which the ROS are delivered by the plasma: HaCaT cells better tolerate a low ROS flux over an extended plasma exposure period of 1 min, compared to a high flux delivered in a few seconds, although the final [ROSi] may be the same. Our results suggest that plasma stimulation of HaCaT cells follows the principle of hormesis.

Combined effect of protein and oxygen on reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in the plasma treatment of tissue

The influence of protein and molecular, ground state oxygen (O2) on the plasma generation, and transport of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in tissue are investigated. A tissue target, comprising a 1 mm thick gelatin film (a surrogate for real tissue), is placed on top of a 96-well plate; each well is filled with phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) containing one fluorescent or colorimetric reporter that is specific for one of three RONS (i.e., H2O2, NO2−, or OH•) or a broad spectrum reactive oxygen species reporter (2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein). A helium cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) jet contacts the top of the gelatin surface, and the concentrations of RONS generated in PBS are measured on a microplate reader. The data show that H2O2, NO2−, or OH• are generated in PBS underneath the target. Independently, measurements are made of the O2 concentration in the PBS with and without the gelatin target. Adding bovine serum albumin protein to the PBS or gelatin shows that protein either raises or inhibits RONS depending upon the O2 concentration. Our results are discussed in the context of plasma-soft tissue interactions that are important in the development of CAP technology for medicine, biology, and food manufacturing.

Computational study of the interaction of cold atmospheric helium plasma jets with surfaces

We describe a computational modeling study of a cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet interacting with a dielectric surface placed normal to the jet axis. The plasma jet is generated by the application of a nanosecond pulse voltage applied to a dielectric tube through which the jet issues into ambient air. A base fluid flow field is pre-computed using a Navier–Stokes model for the helium jet impinging on the dielectric target surface with a two-species description for laminar diffusional mixing of the helium and ambient air streams. A self-consistent, multiple species, two-temperature model is used to describe the non-equilibrium plasma discharge dynamics in the presence of the base jet flow field. A single nanosecond pulse discharge event starting from initial breakdown in the dielectric tube, to propagation into the open gap, and finally the interaction with the dielectric surface is simulated. Initially, the plasma forms within the dielectric tube and propagates along the tube surface as a surface discharge driven by large induced electric fields produced by trapped charge on the dielectric surface. When the discharge reaches the end of the dielectric tube, the discharge transitions to a constricted fast ionization wave that propagates along the helium–air interface. The fast ionization wave eventually reaches the dielectric target surface where charged species are deposited as the discharge propagates parallel to the wall as a surface driven discharge. The surface driven discharge ceases to propagate once the quantity of air to helium is sufficient enough to quench the hot electrons and prevent further ionization. Due to the low speed of the flow discharge and the short life times of the radical species such as O, most of the radical species delivered to the surface are a result of the surface discharge that forms after the plasma bullet impinges against the surface. It is found that factors such as the thickness of the target dielectric and the profile of the stagnation helium–air jet significantly impact the net quantity of reactive particles delivered to the surface.