A compact pulse-modulation cold air plasma jet for the inactivation of chronic wound bacteria: development and characterization
Phuthidhorn Thana,
Apiwat Wijaikhum,
Pipath Poramapijitwat,
Chakkrapong Kuensaen,
Jomkhwan Meerak,
Athipong Ngamjarurojana,
Sureeporn Sarapirom,
Dheerawan Boonyawan
Affiliations
Phuthidhorn Thana
PhD Degree Program in Applied Physics, Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand; Corresponding author.
Apiwat Wijaikhum
Plasma and Beam Physics Research Facility, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
Pipath Poramapijitwat
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Science, Maejo University, Chiang Mai, 50290, Thailand
Chakkrapong Kuensaen
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
Jomkhwan Meerak
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
Athipong Ngamjarurojana
Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Sureeporn Sarapirom
ThEP Center, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand; Applied Physics, Faculty of Science, Maejo University, Chiang Mai, 50290, Thailand
Dheerawan Boonyawan
Plasma and Beam Physics Research Facility, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand; ThEP Center, 239 Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand; Corresponding author.
A compact low-temperature plasma jet device was developed to use ambient air as plasma gas. The device was driven by a 2.52-kV high-voltage direct-current pulse in a burst mode, with a repetition rate of 2 kHz. The maximum plasma discharge current was 3.5 A, with an approximately 10 ns full-width half-maximum. Nitric oxide, hydroxyl radical, atomic oxygen, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide—important reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS)—were mainly produced. The amount of plasma-generated RONS can be controlled by varying the pulse-modulation factors. After optimization, the plasma plume length was approximately 5 mm and the treatment temperature was less than 40 °C. The preliminary bactericidal effects were tested on Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and their biofilms. The results showed that the plasma can effectively inactivate S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and MRSA in both time- and pulse-dependent manner. Thus, this produced plasma device proved to be an efficient tool for inactivating deteriorating bacteria. Further versatile utilization of this portable plasma generator is also promising.
