Glow Discharge Plasma sterilization as an alternative for ethylene oxide sterilization (EtO)

Abstract

This work is considering plasma sterilization as an alternative for ethylene oxide sterilization ( EtO ). Ethylene oxide is a carcinogen that represents a threat to the environment and human health. During the COVID 19 pandemic, there was a shortage of sterilized medical equipment due to the dependence of the United States in EtO and the lack of alternatives for this sterilization method. In this study, the student sought to replicate the methodology applied by previous researchers of the Undergraduate Research Program for Honor Students (URP HS) Omar Cepeda and José Martes (2020). The results that were obtained show that the plasma was partially effective at sterilizing Bacillus subtilis vegetative cells. Results also demonstrate that the pressure is more influential in the success of sterilization than the time of exposure. Therefore, the application of a pressure valve is necessary to improve the regulation of the pressure inside the plasma chamber and have more control of the sterilization procedure. The researcher recommends performing plasma diagnostics to obtain the temperature and density of the plasma and relate them to the effectiveness of sterilization.