Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms.
INTRODUCTION: The medical use of non-thermal physical plasmas is intensively investigated for sterilization and surface modification of biomedical materials. A further promising application is the removal or etching of organic substances, e.g., biofilms, from surfaces, because remnants of biofilms a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2012-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3412829?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1828858394178486272 |
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| author | Katja Fricke Ina Koban Helena Tresp Lukasz Jablonowski Karsten Schröder Axel Kramer Klaus-Dieter Weltmann Thomas von Woedtke Thomas Kocher |
| author_facet | Katja Fricke Ina Koban Helena Tresp Lukasz Jablonowski Karsten Schröder Axel Kramer Klaus-Dieter Weltmann Thomas von Woedtke Thomas Kocher |
| author_sort | Katja Fricke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | INTRODUCTION: The medical use of non-thermal physical plasmas is intensively investigated for sterilization and surface modification of biomedical materials. A further promising application is the removal or etching of organic substances, e.g., biofilms, from surfaces, because remnants of biofilms after conventional cleaning procedures are capable to entertain inflammatory processes in the adjacent tissues. In general, contamination of surfaces by micro-organisms is a major source of problems in health care. Especially biofilms are the most common type of microbial growth in the human body and therefore, the complete removal of pathogens is mandatory for the prevention of inflammatory infiltrate. Physical plasmas offer a huge potential to inactivate micro-organisms and to remove organic materials through plasma-generated highly reactive agents. METHOD: In this study a Candida albicans biofilm, formed on polystyrene (PS) wafers, as a prototypic biofilm was used to verify the etching capability of the atmospheric pressure plasma jet operating with two different process gases (argon and argon/oxygen mixture). The capability of plasma-assisted biofilm removal was assessed by microscopic imaging. RESULTS: The Candida albicans biofilm, with a thickness of 10 to 20 µm, was removed within 300 s plasma treatment when oxygen was added to the argon gas discharge, whereas argon plasma alone was practically not sufficient in biofilm removal. The impact of plasma etching on biofilms is localized due to the limited presence of reactive plasma species validated by optical emission spectroscopy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:56:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a16f1148915b4ea29d72a0edbafb5f08 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:56:42Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-a16f1148915b4ea29d72a0edbafb5f082022-12-22T00:03:23ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0178e4253910.1371/journal.pone.0042539Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms.Katja FrickeIna KobanHelena TrespLukasz JablonowskiKarsten SchröderAxel KramerKlaus-Dieter WeltmannThomas von WoedtkeThomas KocherINTRODUCTION: The medical use of non-thermal physical plasmas is intensively investigated for sterilization and surface modification of biomedical materials. A further promising application is the removal or etching of organic substances, e.g., biofilms, from surfaces, because remnants of biofilms after conventional cleaning procedures are capable to entertain inflammatory processes in the adjacent tissues. In general, contamination of surfaces by micro-organisms is a major source of problems in health care. Especially biofilms are the most common type of microbial growth in the human body and therefore, the complete removal of pathogens is mandatory for the prevention of inflammatory infiltrate. Physical plasmas offer a huge potential to inactivate micro-organisms and to remove organic materials through plasma-generated highly reactive agents. METHOD: In this study a Candida albicans biofilm, formed on polystyrene (PS) wafers, as a prototypic biofilm was used to verify the etching capability of the atmospheric pressure plasma jet operating with two different process gases (argon and argon/oxygen mixture). The capability of plasma-assisted biofilm removal was assessed by microscopic imaging. RESULTS: The Candida albicans biofilm, with a thickness of 10 to 20 µm, was removed within 300 s plasma treatment when oxygen was added to the argon gas discharge, whereas argon plasma alone was practically not sufficient in biofilm removal. The impact of plasma etching on biofilms is localized due to the limited presence of reactive plasma species validated by optical emission spectroscopy.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3412829?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Katja Fricke Ina Koban Helena Tresp Lukasz Jablonowski Karsten Schröder Axel Kramer Klaus-Dieter Weltmann Thomas von Woedtke Thomas Kocher Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms. PLoS ONE |
| title | Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms. |
| title_full | Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms. |
| title_fullStr | Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms. |
| title_short | Atmospheric pressure plasma: a high-performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms. |
| title_sort | atmospheric pressure plasma a high performance tool for the efficient removal of biofilms |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3412829?pdf=render |
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