TY - JOUR

T1 - Low pressure water vapour plasma treatment of surfaces for biomolecules decontamination.

A1 - Fumagalli,F

A1 - Kylian,O

A1 - Amato,Letizia

A1 - Hanus,J

A1 - Rossi,F

AU - Fumagalli,F

AU - Kylian,O

AU - Amato,Letizia

AU - Hanus,J

AU - Rossi,F

PB - Institute of Physics Publishing

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Decontamination treatments of surfaces are performed on bacterial spores, albumin and brain <br/>homogenate used as models of biological contaminations in a low-pressure, inductively <br/>coupled plasma reactor operated with water-vapour-based gas mixtures. It is shown that <br/>removal of contamination can be achieved using pure H2O or Ar/H2O mixtures at low <br/>temperatures with removal rates comparable to oxygen-based mixtures. Particle fluxes (Ar+ <br/>ions, O and H atomic radicals and OH molecular radicals) from water vapour discharge are <br/>measured by optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe under several operating <br/>conditions. Analysis of particle fluxes and removal rates measurements illustrates the role of <br/>ion bombardment associated with O radicals, governing the removal rates of organic matter. <br/>Auxiliary role of hydroxyl radicals is discussed on the basis of experimental data. The <br/>advantages of a water vapour plasma process are discussed for practical applications in <br/>medical devices decontamination.

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

U2 - 10.1088/0022-3727/45/13/135203

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

JO - Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics

JF - Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics

SN - 0022-3727

IS - 13

VL - 45

SP - 135203

ER -