Development of effective and energy-efficient approaches for the destruction of biologically dangerous
contaminants (pathogens and toxic chemicals) at low (close to ambient) temperature in gases, liquids,
and on the surface of bodies is a challenge for modern science. In addition to sterilization, a complimentary
application is a protection of different industrial materials, equipment, and electronic devices
against biocorrosion and biodegradability. Indeed, corrosion of metals speeds up manifold when induced
by thin films of microorganisms deposited on their surface. Usually, microorganisms forming
such biofilms are very resistant to traditional sterilization methods.
Sterilization of objects consists of destruction or removal of the microorganisms, including vegetative
cells, spores, viruses, etc. Traditional sterilization and disinfection methods use heating in dry
and humid environments, filtration, radiation, and strong chemicals (biocides). These methods arelabor- and time-consuming and expensive as well (e.g., sterilization of biofilms with strong biocides
takes more than 24 h). Besides, using biocides does not provide environmental safety.
Gaseous nonthermal plasma (NTP) has unique characteristics because it contains numerous biochemically
active agents like UV photons, OH radicals, O atoms, electronically and vibration excited
molecules, etc. A distinguishing property of NTP is that all the foregoing agents mentioned can be generated
in gas or liquid without heating, close to ambient temperatures. By now, a lot of information devoted
to the inactivation of microorganisms by various plasmas created at low and atmospheric gas
pressure has been published (see, e.g., refs. [1–7] and the abundant literature cited therein). Many attempts
have also been made to determine specific mechanisms responsible for plasma inactivation of
microorganisms [2–5]. Nevertheless, from a scientific point of view this problem is still open for discussion.
This paper presents new results on cold sterilization at atmospheric pressure. One of the reasons
why we have given particular attention to the development of plasma methods that work at atmospheric
pressure is that this approach allows us to inactivate microorganisms not only on surfaces but
in liquids as well. Another advantage of NTP inactivation at atmospheric pressure is the avoidance of
expensive vacuum equipment required for plasma processing at low pressure. The paper also offers an
empirical mathematical approach to describing the plasma inactivation process. The approach developed
here takes into account not only the destruction of different elements of the cells but their reparation
as well.