Skip to main content
. 2018 Dec 24;10(1):2. doi: 10.3390/jfb10010002

Table 3.

Overview of microbial inactivation by non-thermal plasma.

Device Gas Voltage Microorganisms Main Result Ref.
Dielectric barrier discharge He RF 1 voltage at about 45 MHz P. aeruginosa
S. aureus
Bacterial biofilms
ROS/RNS accumulation
Membrane depolarization
[108]
Floating-electrode dielectric-barrier discharge (FE-DBD) Air low-frequency alternating current (120 V) E coli
S. aureus
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Decreasing in viability in both bacterial form (planktonic and biofilm) [109]
miniFlatPlaSter Air 7 kV S. aureus
MRSA
E. coli
Decolonization of S. aureus MRSA, E. coli in time-dependent manner [110]
FlatPlaSter Air 9 kV S. aureus
MRSA
E. coli
Decolonization of S. aureus MRSA and E. coli in time-dependent manner [110]
Surface Micro-Discharge (SMD) plasma Air 10 kV E. coli K12
E. coli
B. cepacia
P. aeruginosa
Gram-positive bacteria
S. aureus
MRSA
S. epidermidis
E. faecalis
E. mundtii
B. cereus
B. pumilus
C. difficile
S. pyogenes
C. jeikeium
C. albicans
The antimicrobial effects of SMD on various vegetative MO and endospores in time-dependent manner [111]
Plasma jet Air or Ar 5.5 kV for air
4–5 kV for Ar
E.coli Air plasma: completely rupture of cell walls, inactivation of bacteria by the influence of oxidative stress on peptidoglycans and lipids in the cell wall and membrane [112]
Terraplasma GmbH, Garching, Germany Air 6.4 kV and 10 kV S. enterica
S. Typhimurium
L. monocytogenes
Analysis of 4 plasma modes several properties of ham colonized by bacteria post treated with plasma as well as after storage [113]
Discharge plasma device He 10 kV S. aureus
B. subtilis
E.coli
P. aeruginosa
Dose-dependent decrease in viability of all the bacterial strains, morphological changes after 60 sec of NTP treatment [114]
Plasma discharge manufactured by Sominex O2, N2 and Ar - P. aeruginosa
S. aureus
B. subtilis
Dose- dependent reduction of viability in all three studied vegetative form of bacteria, together with morphologic and structural changes of spores [115]
Discharge plasma device He 0.5 kV10 kV S. aureus
B. subtilis
E.coli
P. aeruginosa
Dose-dependent effects of NTP
In low-voltage mode activation of programmed cell death after 15 sec
In higher-voltage mode more profound damage of bacteria and physical destruction
[116]
DBD system Air 80 kV E. coli
S.aureus
Time-dependent inactivation of both bacterial strains increased level of ROS accumulation,
Possible mechanism of bacterial inactivation different between gram positive and gram negative bacteria, leakage of membrane in E. coli after plasma treatment
[117]
DBD system Air 18.6 kV S. aureus
P. aeruginosa
C. albicans
Rapid inactivation of antibiotic- resistant MO, surface alternation and permeabilization of membrane, depletion of intracellular ATP production, minor changes on DNA and proteins level [118]
APPJ N2 gas in combination with different flow rates of H2O/HNO3 solution 2.2 kV E. coli Effects of plasma treated water (PTW) on E. coli viability, effect of chemical composition of PTW importance of NO2- and H2O2 for antimicrobial activity, analysis of oxidative related gene expression, DNA damage and cell morphology upon PTW treatment [119]
DBD system Air or argon (Ar) 0.75 kV F. oxysporum
f.sp. lycopersici spores
Time-dependent cell death (both apoptosis and necrosis) in Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici spores post plasma treatment.
Reduction of germination ratesWithout any effect of host plant health or growth
[120]
DBD system Air 80 kV P. aeruginosa quorum sensing (QS)-regulated virulence factors,
E. coli,
L. monocytogenes and S. aureus for biofilm formation
Significant time-dependent reduction of bacterial biofilm in all three studied strains after both direct and indirect NTP treatment
Disintegrated cell walls
Decreasing in concentration of (QS)-regulated virulence factors (pyocyanin and elastase)
[121]
DBD system Air in combination with 90% N2 + 10% O2 56 kV and 70 kV L. monocytogenes
E.coli
Time- dependent MO inactivation, increased with higher voltage level
Dose-dependent accumulation of DNA damage and impaired membrane integrity
Higher resistance of gram-negative E. coli in comparison with L. monocytogenes
[122]

1 RF—radio frequency.