Dalton Miller

Quantification of Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species from Cold Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma for Bacterial Inactivation

Abstract

Microbial contamination in food processing facilities and hospitals results in billions of dollars in economic losses and millions of infections annually in the United States. While methods to eliminate such contamination are widely used, they involve harsh chemicals that risk worker safety and leave residues that must be removed with water. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), such as hydrogen peroxide and ozone, have been used as alternative sterilizing agents, but still pose the same problems as conventional methods. Recently, cold atmospheric-pressure plasma (CAP) has been proposed as a novel method for surface sterilization via its production of RONS. CAP produces more short-lived and potent RONS than those currently in use, limiting worker exposure and residue formation. Here, we demonstrate differences in production of seven different RONS across eight different feedstock gases.