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NATO

Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme

Workshop on CBRN Defence – 22-24 October 2013 – Brussels

Emerging Security Challenges Division

NATO

City, Country, Date

Plasma for bio-decontamination, medicine and food security

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• Advanced Research Workshop CBP.EAP.ARW.984050

• Demänovská dolina, Slovakia, 15-18/03/2011

• Co-directors

NATO-country: Zdenko Machala, Assoc. Prof., Dr.

Division of Environmental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics,

Physics and Informatics, Comenius University,

Mlynska dolina, 84248 Bratislava, Slovakia

machala@fmph.uniba.sk; zdenko@berkeley.edu

• presently at University of California, Berkeley, USA

Partner-country: Yuri Akishev, Prof., Dr.

SRC RF TRINITI,

Pushkovykh St., 12, Troitsk, Moscow region, 142190, Russia

akishev@triniti.ru

Plasma for bio-decontamination, medicine and food security

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Cold plasmas and microorganisms

Cold (gas) plasmas at normal pressure can efficiently kill microorganisms – including potential bio-terrorism agents (e.g. Anthrax)

Disinfection and sterilization of surfaces, medical instruments, water, air, food, living tissues

Sterilizing effect of plasma treatment due to several synergistic agents:

UV radiation

electric field

charged particles

radicals and reactive species

The roles of the plasma agents depend on the plasma parameters;

in air plasmas dominantly neutral reactive species (ROS/RNS)

Bacillus anthracis and Anthrax wound

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Plasma medicine

Cold plasmas

(at careful doses)

can induce

biomedical and

therapeutic

effects

Dentistry: Painless drilling;

root canal disinfection; tooth whitening

Wound disinfection and healing

enhancement

Skin diseases, chronic ulcers,

lesions

Cancer and anti-tumor therapies

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ARW objectives

Plasma bio-decontamination and medicine requires multidisciplinary

approach

Bring world-wide experts of plasma physicists, microbiologists, medical

doctors and engineers together and let them exchange their knowledge

Learn each other’s languages

Open new horizons for science and technology

Push the novel ideas into everyday applications and clinical practices

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Project Outcome (direct)

ISBN 978-94-007-2852-3

36 chapters in 6 thematic areas (484 pp):

1. Plasma bio-decontamination,

water chemistry and effects on cells

2. Plasma biofilm inactivation and dentistry applications

3. Plasma-based UV sterilization

4. Plasma tissue treatment and wound healing

5. Plasma and electric fields in medicine

6. Plasma for food security

2141 downloads in 2012, top 25% most downloaded eBooks in Springer eBook Collection in 2012

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Publications in plasma decontamination / biomedicine field increase rapidly (Web of Science 2011-2013: plasma sterilization/decontamination 2460 papers)

New research networks – COST action MP1101 Bioplasma (Biomedical Applications of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Technology)

Conferences:

International Conference on Plasma Medicine (USA 2007: 80 participants; USA 2009: 120; DE 2010: 180; FR 2012: 290; JP 2014 expected 400)

Large sections on plasma biomedical applications at other top-notch plasma science conferences (International Symposium on Plasma Chemistry, ICPIG, ICOPS, GEC, HAKONE, etc.)

General impact: great contribution to the increase of public

interest to cold plasma as an effective instrument for solving the

present challenges in CRBN defence

Project Outcome (indirect)

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Zdenko Machala - recent results (1)

DC corona and transient spark

discharges with water electro-spray

Electro-spray enhances the mass

transfer of plasma active species into

water

1 c

m

B. Pongrac and Z. Machala, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 2011

Q = 0.5 mL/min

U = 6 kV

Imax

= 7-7.8 mA

f = 300-330 Hz

gate = 10 µs

Droplet flight time

~ 3 ms

Droplet volume

~ 0.008 mm3

Droplet surface

~ 0.2 mm2

ICCD camera imaging

Photography

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Zdenko Machala - recent results (2)

Plasma induced water chemistry

Poorly understood in general

Observed products in water:

Acidification: pH 5.5 → ~3

Nitrites NO2ˉ

Nitrates NO3ˉ

Peroxides H2O2

Peroxynitrites ONOO- – likely

responsible for bactericidal

effects in acidifying conditions

Ozone – extremely bactericidal

and pH-independent if well

mixed into water

Bacteria log reduction of water and

buffered solution (PB) after plasma

treatment correlated with relative ONOO-

concentrations measured by fluorescence

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

water PB

Lo

g r

ed

uc

tio

n0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

ON

OO

- [a

.u.]

logONOO-

Z. Machala et al., Plasma Proc. Polym. (2013)

M. Pavlovich et al., J. Phys. D (2013)

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Zdenko Machala - recent results (3)

Decontamination of Plastic surfaces and human teeth

by positive or negative or pulsed corona

B. cereus spores and Streptococci biofilms

Focus on penetration into cavities

Water electrospray strongly enhances the

decontamination

+SC

-SC

+SC -SC +TS

Z. Šipoldová and Z. Machala, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. (2011)

Z. Kovaľová et al., Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. (2013)

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Yuri Akishev - recent results (1)

Image of streamer corona

with a naked eye (left).

In fact, corona consists of thin

current filaments (streamers)

each of them exhibits itself

like tiny lightning (right).

Impact of streamer (tiny lightning) at bacterial cell results in its full destroying.

a) cell before streamer strike; b) cell after streamer strike

Cell inactivation by positive streamers

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Yuri Akishev - recent results (2)

Treatment of cell by negatively charged species leads to the strong increase

of pH (up to 12) in the cell wall and destroying the cell membrane.

These effects results in the cell death.

Schematic cell wall structure

before corona treatment Schematic cell wall structure

after corona treatment

Cell inactivation by negative corona

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What research in CBRN Defence requires urgent and substantial attention?

Fundamental investigations of plasma-chemical and biochemical processes relevant to the destroying of toxic agents and life-threatening microorganisms by cold plasma

What should be the focus of the SPS Programme in CBRN Defence?

Development of mobile systems combining the modern X-ray and Laser methods of detection and identification of toxic agents in public places (e.g. airports) with plasma methods effectively destroying these agents.

Infection control in developing countries, refugee camps, and battlefields by portable plasma devices

Food preservation and security – microbial food spoilage prevention by plasma technology

Way Forward – SPS CBRN

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Frugal plasma disinfection

Apply our fundamental knowledge in

innovative and frugal concept

Developing countries (rural conditions),

refugee camps, battlefields

Limited supplies (chemical disinfectants,

antibiotics, single use instruments)

High infection rates (e.g. 300,000

maternal deaths/year)

Inexpensive, robust design, easy operation,

portable devices

No supplies needed – just air, water,

electricity (12 V batteries, solar recharging)

Ozone mode for water disinfection, hand

hygiene, antimicrobial laundry cleaning

NOx mode for dry instrument sterilization,

water disinfection

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Food preservation and security

About 1/3 of all food produced

world-wide is lost or wasted (1.3

billion tons/year)

1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions

associated with food production are

produced in vain!

Most losses during food production

Spoilage due to inappropriate

storage, transport, handling, etc.

Microorganisms responsible for

most of fresh product spoilage

Plasma disinfection has a great

potential here

Gustavsson et al, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, Rome 2011

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Ideas for potential SPS activities in CBRN

Plasma decontamination of potential bio-terrorist agents (e.g.

Anthrax spores) and biological warfare

Frugal plasma for water disinfection, medical instrument sterilization,

wound healing – battlefields, refugee camps, rural settings in

developing countries (no sustainable supplies)

Infection control and inactivation of biological pathogens, associated

with life-threatening infections in hospitals

Indoor air plasma sterilization of space stations and submarines

Plasma technology for food preservation and security

Plasma treatment of seeds in agriculture – increase germination rate