Biomedical Applications of Cold Plasma

Abstract

Plasma medicine is branch that employs Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) as a potent tool for biomedical applications. CAP produces high-level reactivity (free radicals, electrons) and can be generated by noble gases. CAP is rich in Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). These ROS and RNS which include Ozone (O3), Nitrous Oxide (NO), Hydroxyl Radicals (OH), and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), gas particles, charged ions, neutral reactive oxygen which are primarily responsible for decontamination of microbes in various living tissues. Furthermore, CAP only have high excitation energies of electrons as compared to neutrals and ions which makes CAP an excellent tool for application on cells and tissues without any thermal damage. Cold plasma has also been successfully implemented for virus disinfection as its regarded as eco-friendly, efficient and novel technique for decontamination of virus. CAP treatment has also enabled inactivation of virus strain in both plant and animal species without inducing any physiological damage to them. Plasma chemistry essential for inactivation of pathogens is dependent on fine-tuning of various parameters which include plasma supply frequency, gas composition, input energy duration, pulse form, and modulation which has led to development and research of numerous portable plasma devices for different treatment methods in plasma medicine. CAP generated is extensively applied for wide range of biomedical applications including dentistry, microbial disinfection (bacteria, viruses, fungi), treatment of skin diseases, wound treatment, and biofilm treatment.