Chemical and bacterial decontamination using a micromachined plasma discharge

Summary form only given, as follows. A brief history is presented concerning the application of plasmas to the destruction of biological and chemical contaminants. Special mention is paid to the effects of nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma discharges on the treatment of contaminated surfaces. A novel micromachined plasma discharge has been built that effectively treats contaminants on surfaces. Our observations have been that biological spores and cells are killed in seconds, a rate that significantly exceeds hot air (or heat) alone. The chemical decontamination efficiency is similar to that of heat alone. The plasma formed by the microplasma device has been used to sterilize surfaces and is used to expose surface antigens of pathogenic spores and cells for detection by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. In addition, the progress on the treatment of contaminated skin with a plasma discharge will be presented.