A double inductively coupled plasma for sterilization of medical devices

Halfmann, Helmut; Bibinov, Nikita; Wunderlich, J.; Awakowicz, Peter

doi:10.1088/0022-3727/40/14/008

Cited by 130 publications

(114 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…A double inductively coupled low-pressure plasma (DICP) source (see Fig. S1 in the supplemental material) (30,31) was used in this study. The stainless steel cylinder of the DICP vessel is enclosed by two quartz glass plates with enclosed copper coils at the top and bottom, which couple a maximum power of 5 kW at 13.56 MHz to the discharge.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, if the system is not operated, a turbo pump is used for evacuating the system below 5 ϫ 10 Ϫ4 Pa for maintaining the cleanliness of the system. The plasma discharge is homogeneous over nearly the entire vessel (30). Several flanges in the vessel allow different optical and electrical analytical devices to be coupled to the vessel for plasma diagnostics.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Improvement of Biological Indicators by Uniformly Distributing Bacillus subtilis Spores in Monolayers To Evaluate Enhanced Spore Decontamination Technologies

Raguse

Fiebrandt

Stapelmann

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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f Novel decontamination technologies, including cold low-pressure plasma and blue light (400 nm), are promising alternatives to conventional surface decontamination methods. However, the standardization of the assessment of such sterilization processes remains to be accomplished. Bacterial endospores of the genera Bacillus and Geobacillus are frequently used as biological indicators (BIs) of sterility. Ensuring standardized and reproducible BIs for reliable testing procedures is a significant problem in industrial settings. In this study, an electrically driven spray deposition device was developed, allowing fast, reproducible, and homogeneous preparation of Bacillus subtilis 168 spore monolayers on glass surfaces. A detailed description of the structural design as well as the operating principle of the spraying device is given. The reproducible formation of spore monolayers of up to 5 ؋ 10 7 spores per sample was verified by scanning electron microscopy. Surface inactivation studies revealed that monolayered spores were inactivated by UV-C (254 nm), low-pressure argon plasma (500 W, 10 Pa, 100 standard cubic cm per min), and blue light (400 nm) significantly faster than multilayered spores were. We have thus succeeded in the uniform preparation of reproducible, highly concentrated spore monolayers with the potential to generate BIs for a variety of nonpenetrating surface decontamination techniques. Microbial contamination on surfaces is a recurring problem within health, pharmaceutical, and food industry sectors (1, 2, 3). Thus, decontamination is a crucial step to ensure the sterility of food processing equipment, minimize spread of pathogens, and prevent the transmission of nosocomial infections (4). Common decontamination and disinfection procedures that are widely used for microbial inactivation include high temperatures, chemicals, or ionizing radiation (reviewed in reference 5). In order to ensure the efficiency and to validate the continuous functionality of a disinfection or sterilization procedure, biological testing standards are required. Bacterial spores are frequently used as a biological indicator (BI) of sterility, primarily because bacterial spores exhibit elevated resistance to chemical and physical methods of sterilization (6-11). Hence, a process that achieves full spore inactivation ensures complete elimination of other contaminating microorganisms.Variations in the performance of a BI have been reported repeatedly (12, 13). Besides variations in the intrinsic resistance properties of the microorganisms conferred, for instance, by variations in genetic traits or alteration of sporulation conditions (14), extrinsic factors also may affect the performance of BIs and, subsequently, the accurate determination of spore resistance and inactivation. For example, the sterilization results may be altered by poor choices of the carrier material for spore deposition (13,15) and, in particular, the BI manufacturing procedure (16). The method by which spores are mounted on carriers also is extremely impo...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improvement of Biological Indicators by Uniformly Distributing Bacillus subtilis Spores in Monolayers To Evaluate Enhanced Spore Decontamination Technologies

Raguse

Fiebrandt

Stapelmann

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Figures 1(a)-(d) present SEM images of (a) untreated stacked spore colonies and spores exposed to (b) H 2 O plasma discharge, as well as (c) O 2 , and (d) H 2 , plasma for comparison. Both control gas mixtures have been reported to be effective against bacterial spores when samples are exposed to the active region of the discharge [13,35,36] or to combined radicals ion beams [27]. Only the gas composition was varied during experiments while all other process parameters (power 500 W, pressure 10 Pa and gas flow 10 sccm) were kept constant.…”

Section: Water Vapour Plasma Decontamination Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Fumagalli¹,

Kylián²,

Amato³

et al. 2012

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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Decontamination treatments of surfaces are performed on bacterial spores, albumin and brain homogenate used as models of biological contaminations in a low-pressure, inductively coupled plasma reactor operated with water-vapour-based gas mixtures. It is shown that removal of contamination can be achieved using pure H 2 O or Ar/H 2 O mixtures at low temperatures with removal rates comparable to oxygen-based mixtures. Particle fluxes (Ar + ions, O and H atomic radicals and OH molecular radicals) from water vapour discharge are measured by optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe under 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 basis of experimental data. The advantages of a water vapour plasma process are discussed for practical applications in medical devices decontamination.

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“…The cold plasma has been proven to be effective in terms of microbial inactivation and surface decontamination and sterilization [41,42]. Numerous studies showed activity of non-thermal plasma against different Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria [13,15,[43][44][45][46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inhibition of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus by a plasma needle

et al. 2014

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Abstract:In numerous recent papers plasma chemistry of non equilibrium plasma sources operating at atmospheric pressure has been linked to plasma medical effects including sterilization. In this paper we present a study of the effectiveness of an atmospheric pressure plasma source, known as plasma needle, in inhibition of the growth of biofilm produced by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Even at the lowest powers the biofilms formed by inoculi of MRSA of 10 4 and 10 5 CFU have been strongly affected by plasma and growth in biofilms was inhibited. The eradication of the already formed biofilm was not achieved and it is required to go to more effective sources.PACS (2008)

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A double inductively coupled plasma for sterilization of medical devices

Cited by 130 publications

References 25 publications

Improvement of Biological Indicators by Uniformly Distributing Bacillus subtilis Spores in Monolayers To Evaluate Enhanced Spore Decontamination Technologies

Improvement of Biological Indicators by Uniformly Distributing Bacillus subtilis Spores in Monolayers To Evaluate Enhanced Spore Decontamination Technologies

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

Inhibition of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus by a plasma needle

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