Surface sterilization by atmospheric discharge with runaway electrons

Summary form only given. Experimental results on studying the basic properties of atmospheric nanosecond high-voltage discharge with runaway electrons (atmospheric runaway discharge - ARD) and its application for action on the bacteria located on a surface of solid-state objects (including inside of sealed thin packings) are described. Essentially higher efficiency of surface ARD-sterilization (with runaway electron energy up to 300 keV and current amplitude up to 700 A) in comparison with other types of discharges corona discharge (CD) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is obtained. In particular for ARD-sterilization of testing surface it was necessary about 10...50 ARD impulses only what is at least in 1000 times less than at sterilization of a similar surface by CD or DBD with the same power consumption. Such qualitative distinction in sterilization efficiency authors bound up with qualitatively different mechanisms of corresponding discharge action on a bacteria (and viruses). It is shown that the direct (electron impact) and indirect (radiolytic cytoplasm decomposition, etc.) mechanisms of runaway electrons action on DNA, RNA and other organella of bacteria play the basic role at ARD-sterilization. Comparison of medical tool ARD-sterilization with sterilization of the same objects by powerful electron beam from vacuum diodes (electron energy up to 680 keV, current amplitude up to 12 kA) have shown the presence of some similar properties in the mechanism of sterilization