The effect of a high-voltage diffuse gas discharge on microbiological cultures

The results are given of investigation of the inactivation of microbiological cultures in moist and dry states by low-temperature plasma of a low-power diffuse pulse-periodic discharge (up to 5 W) initiated in the air at a pressure of tens of torr and with an interelectrode gap of up to 10 cm. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis, inoculated onto test samples in an amount of similar to 10(8), were used as reference cultures. It is found that a complete sterility of moist and dry test samples is attained after 15 minutes of treatment at an average discharge power of 0.3-0.4 W and 3-4 W, respectively. The inference is drawn that charged particles play a determining part in the bactericidal effect of the discharge.