Inactivation effects of electrostatic field on Bacillus subtilis
Dan Bu1, Yingyan Liu1, Yuanxiang Zhou1
1State Key Laboratory of Control and Simulation of Power System and Generation Equipment, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
Journal of Electrostatics
|April 15, 2020
Summary
High electrostatic fields significantly inactivate Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) viability. Bacterial survival decreases with longer exposure durations, demonstrating the effectiveness of electrostatic fields for microbial inactivation.
Area of Science:
- Electrostatics
- Microbiology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Electret films possess electrostatic properties with potential applications in microbial control.
- Understanding the impact of electrostatic fields on bacterial viability is crucial for developing novel inactivation methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the inactivation effects of electrostatic fields on Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis).
- To assess the influence of electrostatic field strength and duration on B. subtilis survival.
Main Methods:
- A plane-plane electrode system was employed to simulate electret film electric fields.
- The viability of B. subtilis was measured after exposure to varying electrostatic field durations and strengths.
Main Results:
- B. subtilis survival ratio was significantly affected by both electrostatic field strength and duration.
- Bacterial viability decreased progressively with increased exposure duration.
- A comparative survival ratio (CSR) of B. subtilis dropped to 35% at applied fields exceeding 15 kV/cm, even for short durations.
Conclusions:
- Uniform electrostatic fields effectively inactivate Bacillus subtilis.
- Charged polypropylene films show potential for B. subtilis inactivation based on observed electrostatic field effects.
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