Hydrogen-Peroxide-Enhanced Nonthermal Plasma Effluent for Biomedical Applications

A novel nonthermal plasma dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) system for decontamination, sterilization, and medical applications has been developed. The discharge is physically removed from the disinfection zone, and plasma-induced free radicals are delivered through an air stream. The physical distance between the discharge and the treatment surface can be up to 3 m, making the technology robust and flexible for applications in the medical clinic. The bactericidal properties of the free-radical effluent are enhanced by hydrogen peroxide additives. We report a 6-log reduction in Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria strains in under 1 min of exposure in vitro and inactivation of Bacillus atrophaes spores and Escherichia coli biofilms. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide additives is seen to be a key variable in inactivation efficacy, suggesting that active species in our experiment may be different than in other DBD configurations. Precise chemical concentration measurements using direct frequency comb spectroscopy show presence of ozone ( O3), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In vivo multiple exposures of mouse skin to the plasma effluent do not yield any adverse effects.

[1]  G. Merényi,et al.  Reaction of ozone with hydrogen peroxide (peroxone process): a revision of current mechanistic concepts based on thermokinetic and quantum-chemical considerations. , 2010, Environmental science & technology.

[2]  D. Graves,et al.  Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Charged Species and Their Interactions With Cells and Tissues , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[3]  R. Todhunter,et al.  In vitro analysis of nonthermal plasma as a disinfecting agent. , 2006, American journal of veterinary research.

[4]  Wilhelm Stolz,et al.  Cold atmospheric plasma: a successful treatment of lesions in Hailey-Hailey disease. , 2011, Archives of dermatology.

[5]  J. McCullers,et al.  Use of atmospheric non-thermal plasma as a disinfectant for objects contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. , 2009, American journal of infection control.

[6]  T. Bagnyukova,et al.  Hydrogen peroxide increases the activities of soxRS regulon enzymes and the levels of oxidized proteins and lipids in Escherichia coli , 2005, Cell biology international.

[7]  T. C. Briles,et al.  Optical frequency comb spectroscopy. , 2011, Faraday discussions.

[8]  Jun Ye,et al.  References and Notes Supporting Online Material Broadband Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy for Sensitive and Rapid Molecular Detection , 2022 .

[9]  Mounir Laroussi,et al.  Nonthermal decontamination of biological media by atmospheric-pressure plasmas: review, analysis, and prospects , 2002 .

[10]  Jun Ye,et al.  Human breath analysis via cavity-enhanced optical frequency comb spectroscopy , 2007, 0708.3205.

[11]  S. Kuo,et al.  Wound Bleeding Control by Low Temperature Air Plasma , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[12]  Jun Ye,et al.  Phase-stabilized, 1.5 W frequency comb at 2.8-4.8 microm. , 2009, Optics letters.

[13]  Jeen-Woo Park,et al.  OxyR regulon controls lipid peroxidation-mediated oxidative stress in Escherichia coli. , 2002, Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology.

[14]  Jun Ye,et al.  Cavity-enhanced similariton Yb-fiber laser frequency comb: 3 x 10(14) W/cm2 peak intensity at 136 MHz. , 2007, Optics letters.

[15]  Mitsuo Yamamoto,et al.  Sterilization by H2O2 droplets under corona discharge , 2002 .

[16]  Gregor E. Morfill,et al.  Bactericidal effects of non-thermal argon plasma in vitro, in biofilms and in the animal model of infected wounds. , 2011, Journal of medical microbiology.

[17]  G. Buettner.  The pecking order of free radicals and antioxidants: lipid peroxidation, alpha-tocopherol, and ascorbate. , 1993, Archives of biochemistry and biophysics.

[18]  David J. Weber,et al.  Disinfection and Sterilization In Healthcare Facilities , 2004 .

[19]  M. Laroussi,et al.  Low-Temperature Plasmas for Medicine? , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[20]  Gregory Fridman,et al.  Applied Plasma Medicine , 2008 .

[21]  Gregory Fridman,et al.  Nonthermal Dielectric-Barrier Discharge Plasma-Induced Inactivation Involves Oxidative DNA Damage and Membrane Lipid Peroxidation in Escherichia coli , 2011, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

[22]  Gregory Fridman,et al.  Comparison of Direct and Indirect Effects of Non‐Thermal Atmospheric‐Pressure Plasma on Bacteria , 2007 .

[23]  M Landthaler,et al.  A first prospective randomized controlled trial to decrease bacterial load using cold atmospheric argon plasma on chronic wounds in patients , 2010, The British journal of dermatology.

[24]  Jun Ye,et al.  Mid-Infrared Frequency Comb Fourier Transform Spectrometer , 2010, 1007.0716.

[25]  Jun Ye,et al.  Cavity-enhanced direct frequency comb spectroscopy: technology and applications. , 2010, Annual review of analytical chemistry.

[26]  M Moreau,et al.  Non-thermal plasma technologies: new tools for bio-decontamination. , 2008, Biotechnology advances.

[27]  J. M. Sandoval,et al.  Escherichia coli YqhD Exhibits Aldehyde Reductase Activity and Protects from the Harmful Effect of Lipid Peroxidation-derived Aldehydes* , 2008, Journal of Biological Chemistry.

[28]  Jun Ye,et al.  Mid-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy with a broadband frequency comb. , 2010, Optics express.

[29]  S. H. Kaufmann,et al.  Decontamination with vaporized hydrogen peroxide is effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis , 2005, Letters in applied microbiology.