Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma discharge has been observed to have strong antimicrobial properties. In an effort to understand the mechanism of plasma sterilization, a limited and basic kinetic model was made as a first step toward a fully descriptive and detailed model. The goal for this phenomenological estimation was to identify biologically active components of plasma discharge that were influential on the exposure time required for complete sterilization. This estimation is currently capable of predicting the sterilization times of an airborne microorganism sterilization setup and a surface sterilization setup on agar within one order of magnitude. The biologically active components of plasma included in this estimation are ozone, hydroxyl radicals, ultraviolet radiation, nitric oxide, and nitrogen ions. Using empirical data, reaction rate coefficients were developed to describe the rate at which microorganisms will inactivate when in presence of each of these plasma components. Using the reaction rate coefficients and calculated concentrations of each plasma specie, the estimation predicts the bacteria population reduction given plasma exposure time and vice versa.
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Title
Phenomenological estimation of plasma sterilization kinetics
Creators
Mohammad Haider Agha Hasan - DU
Contributors
Alexander A. Fridman (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
Awarding Institution
Drexel University
Degree Awarded
Master of Science (M.S.)
Publisher
Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Resource Type
Thesis
Language
English
Academic Unit
College of Engineering (1970-2026); Mechanical Engineering (and Mechanics) [Historical]; Drexel University