Low-pressure water vapour plasma treatment of surfaces for biomolecules decontamination

Decontamination treatments of surfaces are performed on albumin and brain homogenate used as models of biological contaminations in a low-pressure reactor, inductively coupled plasma operated with water vapor based gas mixture. It is shown that removal of contamination can be achieved by using pure H2O or Ar/H2O mixtures at low temperatures with removal rates comparable with oxygen gas based mixtures. Particle fluxes (Ar+ ions, O and H atomic radicals and OH molecular radicals) from water vapor discharge are measured by optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe in several operating conditions. Analysis of particle fluxes and removal rates measurements illustrates the role of ion bombardment associated with O radicals, governing the removal rates of organic matter. Auxiliary role of hydroxyl radicals is discussed on the base of experimental data. The advantages of a water vapor plasma process are discussed for practical applications in medical devices decontamination.

FUMAGALLI Francesco;  KYLIAN Ondrej;  AMATO Letizia;  HANUS Jan;  ROSSI Francois; 

2014-10-21

IOP PUBLISHING LTD

JRC68366

0022-3727,   

http://iopscience.iop.org/0022-3727/45/13/135203/,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC68366,   

10.1088/0022-3727/45/13/135203,