Modified protocol comparing sporicidal activity of different non-thermal plasma generating devices
Anna Machková1, Leonardo Zampieri2, Tomasz Czapka3
1Department of Physics and Measurements, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic. machkovn@vscht.cz.
Scientific Reports
|March 6, 2025
Summary
This study developed a standard protocol to compare non-thermal plasma (NTP) devices for antimicrobial applications. A volume dielectric barrier discharge device showed the highest sporicidal efficacy, inhibiting 99.9% of Bacillus subtilis spores.
Area of Science:
- Plasma physics
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Non-thermal plasma (NTP) exhibits significant antimicrobial properties, driving the development of various NTP-generating devices.
- Comparing the efficacy of different NTP devices is challenging due to variations in experimental setups, microbial species, and sample preparation methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To optimize and standardize a protocol for evaluating NTP devices' sporicidal efficacy.
- To compare the technical parameters and sporicidal effectiveness of seven distinct NTP generating devices using the standardized protocol.
Main Methods:
- A robust and reproducible standard protocol was developed using Bacillus subtilis spores.
- Seven different NTP generating devices were tested.
- Inhibition zones were analyzed using Aurora software, and complete inhibition of bacterial growth was assessed to determine local and overall effects, respectively.
Main Results:
- The study successfully optimized a standardized protocol for comparing NTP devices.
- The volume dielectric barrier discharge device from Wroclaw demonstrated the highest sporicidal efficacy.
- This device inhibited 99.9% of colony-forming units of Bacillus subtilis spores within 30 minutes of exposure.
Conclusions:
- The developed protocol provides a reliable method for comparing NTP sources across different laboratories worldwide.
- The findings highlight significant variations in sporicidal efficacy among tested NTP devices.
- The volume dielectric barrier discharge device from Wroclaw emerged as the most effective among the evaluated devices.
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