GAS PLASMA STERILIZATION IN MICROBIOLOGY

Gas plasma is the fourth state of matter, alongside solid, liquid, and gas. There are many naturally-occurring events and man-made products related to gas plasma, including aurora, thunderstorms, high-intensity discharge headlamp bulbs, oxonizers, semiconductors, and solar battery panels. A gas plasma is generated by removing electrons from a gas, e.g. nitrogen gas, to produce a highly-excited mixture of charged nuclei and free electrons. It has enormous potential as a broad spectrum antimicrobial sterilization procedure with applications in medical, industrial, and agricultural settings (e.g. decontamination of medical instruments). A major advantage is the shallow penetration of gas plasmas