Global Journal of Biology, Agriculture & Health Sciences

Abstract

Inactivation of Microorganisms in Tyvek® Packaging by Microwave Plasma Processed Air

U. Schnabel, M. Andrasch, K.-D. Weltmann, J. Ehlbeck

Plasma is well-known for its antimicrobial capacity and moreover, it is successfully used in manifold industrial fields such as packaging industry. Microwave plasma processed gas with shares of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) was investigated for its decontamination efficiency against vegetative bacteria, conidia and bacterial endospores packed in Tyvek®. For all tested microorganisms, increased inactivation was found at prolonged treatment times. Furthermore, a treatment with moistened gas resulted in shorter treatment times and a dependency of humidity was observed. The inactivation rates increased up to 6 log10 steps. The microwave plasma processed gas showed very high microbial effects to vegetative bacteria, spores of Bacillus atrophaeus and Aspergillus brasiliensis in treatment times comparable to currently common methods like EO, FORM and hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, this new methode is charaterized by advantages like no thermal influences, no toxicity for human and environment and low costs.