Sterilization and Decontamination of Medical Instruments by Low-Presure Plasma Discharges: Application of Ar/O2/N2 Ternary Mixture
A low-pressure inductively coupled plasma discharge sustained in an argon¿oxygen¿nitrogen ternary mixture is studied in order to evaluate its properties in terms of sterilization and decontamination of surfaces of medical instruments. It is demonstrated by direct comparison with discharges operated in oxygen¿nitrogen and oxygen¿argon mixtures that application of an Ar/O2/N2 mixture offers the possibility to combine advantageous properties of the binary mixtures, namely, the capability of an O2/N2 plasma to emit intense UV radiation needed for effective inactivation of bacterial spores together with high removal rates of biological substances from Ar/O2 discharge. Moreover, optimal conditions for both effects are obtained at a similar ternary discharge mixture composition, which is of much interest for real applications, since it offers a highly effective process desired for the safety of medical instruments.
KYLIAN Ondrej;
ROSSI Francois;
2010-06-07
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
JRC51338
0022-3727,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC51338,
10.1088/0022-3727/42/8/085207,
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