Sterilization and plasma processing of room temperature surfaces with a one atmosphere uniform glow discharge plasma (OAUGDP)

A technique for generating active species with the one atmosphere uniform g low discharge plasma (OAUGDP) has been developed and tested in a wide range of potential plasma processing applications, including the sterilization a nd decontamination of surfaces. The OAUGDP is a non-thermal plasma with the classical characteristics of a low pressure DC normal glow discharge that operates in air land other gases) at atmospheric pressure. In addition to d irectly exposing webs and workpieces to active species by immersion or at t he plasma boundary of a parallel-plate reactor, we have shown that active s pecies capable of sterilization can be convected at near room temperature t o a remote exposure chamber. No vacuum system or batch processing is necess ary, and a wide range of applications can be accommodated. This technology is simple, cost-effective and suitable for online treatment of webs and suc h three-dimensional workpieces as medical instruments. We will report the u se of an air OAUGDP to sterilize a broad range of microorganisms on a varie ty of surfaces, and in several distinct applications. These include a remot e exposure reactor to sterilize large workpieces 20 cm or more from the pla sma-generating region, and a sterilizable air filter. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.