The Effect of a High-Voltage Diffuse Gas Discharge on Microbiological Cultures

The results are given of investigation of the inactivation of microbiological cultures in moist and dry states by low-temperature plasma of a low-power diffuse pulse-periodic discharge (up to $5$ W) initiated in the air at a pressure of tens of torr and with an interelectrode gap of up to $10$ cm. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis, inoculated onto test samples in an amount of $\sim10^8$, were used as reference cultures. It is found that a complete sterility of moist and dry test samples is attained after $15$ minutes of treatment at an average discharge power of $0.3$–$0.4$ W and $3$–$4$ W, respectively. The inference is drawn that charged particles play a determining part in the bactericidal effect of the discharge.