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Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology
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Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 April 2021) | Viewed by 19213

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Joanna Pawłat

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 38A, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
Interests: plasma applications for food, agriculture, medicine, energy, and environment; plasma device innovations and development of plasma generators; oxidant generation techniques; surface engineering and materials science; interdisciplinary research for the crops intensification and food treatment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) that is generated in electrical discharges is cutting-edge technology applicable in the food sector, agriculture, medicine, as well as environmental and material technologies due to the unique properties of ionized gas interacting with their surrounding gaseous atmosphere in addition to liquid and solid targets.

Many biochemically active compounds that are formed during plasma treatment also possess disinfecting properties, for example, charged particles (ions and electrons), free radicals, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS, including atomic nitrogen (N), nitric oxide (NO), peroxynitrite (ONOO−), and derived species as well as atomic oxygen (O), hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide (O2−), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), etc.). Plasma technologies are quite effective in decontamination of chemical pollutants and limiting of microbial load, including bactericidal spores, spoilage fungi, and parasites. Thus, they have gained much attention in food-processing sector as a promising alternative tool for maintenance of food product safety and food preservation. Moreover, mild, low-temperature plasma treatment has minimal impact on the nutritional and sensory attributes of food products, lack toxic effects, and can improve the functional and organoleptic properties of food. Many research groups have demonstrated the positive effects of low-temperature plasma processing for the food and biotechnological industries, including in improvement of plant germination and growth, microbial decontamination of food, production lines and tools, modification of food packaging, extension of shelf life, removal of toxins, inactivation of enzymes, and water and wastewater treatment. Plasma treatment is considered a simple, easy to operate, cost-effective, and pro-ecological technology as it significantly reduces both water consumption during production process and spoilage losses with relatively short treatment times. Decontaminative properties of plasma are used in plasma medicine. Plasma treatment can enhance the biocompatibility of materials, improve tissue regeneration, and stimulate living organisms. Plasma is widely used for modifying and shaping the physical and chemical properties of various materials. Engineering process for power technologies, solar energy, batteries, packaging, resurfacing, and printability can be greatly enhanced by plasma treatment steps.

Plasma technology influences many science fields, promoting ecological approach and waste-free economy. Interdisciplinary research contributions representing bio-, food-, agro-, med-, eco-, and material engineering are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Joanna Pawłat
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • atmospheric pressure plasma;
  • low temperature plasma;
  • plasma food treatment;
  • plasma for agriculture;
  • germination enhancement by plasma;
  • plasma for medicine;
  • microbial and chemical decontamination;
  • nutritional value;
  • shelf-life extension;
  • food packaging;
  • plasma–liquid interaction;
  • plasma for environment and ecology;
  • plasma for decomposition and pollutant removal;
  • waste free technology;
  • plasma coatings;
  • plasma for surface treatment and modification of materials;
  • electrical discharges;
  • ozone generation

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 4626 KiB  
Article
Influence of Plasma Activated Water Generated in a Gliding Arc Discharge Reactor on Germination of Beetroot and Carrot Seeds
by Piotr Terebun, Michał Kwiatkowski, Karol Hensel, Marek Kopacki and Joanna Pawłat
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6164; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11136164 - 2 Jul 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3310
Abstract
One of the new methods of protecting and supporting plant growth is the use of low-temperature plasma. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using plasma activated water produced in an atmospheric pressure gliding arc reactor for germination of [...] Read more.
One of the new methods of protecting and supporting plant growth is the use of low-temperature plasma. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using plasma activated water produced in an atmospheric pressure gliding arc reactor for germination of beetroot (Beta vulgaris) and carrot (Daucus carota) seeds. The study was carried out for different plasma treatment times of water (5, 10 and 20 min) and with fixed geometry and power of the discharge system, using air as the working gas. The effect on germination was evaluated based on the fraction of germinated seeds and their length at 7 and 14 days after treatment. Analysis of fungi present on the seed surface and imaging of the seed surface using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were auxiliary methods to evaluate the type of treatment effect. In the case of beetroot, a positive effect on the number and length of germinated seeds was observed, which increased with increasing treatment time. This effect can be attributed, among other things, to the surface changes observed on microscopic photographs. In the case of carrot seeds, a more significant positive effect on germination was observed. Fungal decontamination effect was relatively weaker than with the use of the chemical method with sodium hypochlorite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology)
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13 pages, 2705 KiB  
Article
Effect of Plasma Activated Water, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Nitrates on Lettuce Growth and Its Physiological Parameters
by Katarína Kučerová, Mária Henselová, Ľudmila Slováková, Michaela Bačovčinová and Karol Hensel
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 1985; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11051985 - 24 Feb 2021
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4951
Abstract
Cold plasma generated by atmospheric pressure air discharge is a source of various gaseous reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). When the plasma is generated in a contact with water, the RONS dissolve into water, change its chemical composition, while producing so-called plasma [...] Read more.
Cold plasma generated by atmospheric pressure air discharge is a source of various gaseous reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). When the plasma is generated in a contact with water, the RONS dissolve into water, change its chemical composition, while producing so-called plasma activated water (PAW). The PAW has the potential to be effectively used in various agricultural applications, as the long lived liquid RONS (H2O2, NO2−, NO3−) may act like signaling molecules in plant metabolism or serve as nutrients. We studied the effect of the PAW on lettuce plants and compared it with the effect of H2O2 and/or NO3− solutions of various concentrations to assess their role in the PAW. The PAW was generated from tap water by DC driven self-pulsing transient spark discharge. Pre-grown lettuce plants were cultivated in pots with soil and irrigated with the PAW or solutions of H2O2 and/or NO3−. After 5 weeks the growth parameters, number and quality of leaves, fresh and dry weight of plants, photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll a + b) content, photosynthetic rate, and activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD) were evaluated. Lettuce plants irrigated with the PAW in comparison with chemically equivalent solution of H2O2 and NO3− had similar dry weight; however, the PAW induced higher photosynthetic pigment content, higher photosynthetic rate, and lower activity of SOD. The NO3− mainly contributed to the increase of dry weight, photosynthetic pigment content, photosynthetic rate, and overall better appearance of plants. The H2O2 contributed to an increase of dry weight and induced SOD activity. In general, H2O2 and NO3− in proper concentrations can stimulate plant growth and affect their physiological properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology)
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12 pages, 2600 KiB  
Article
Modification of PLA Scaffold Surface for Medical Applications
by Michał Młotek, Agnieszka Gadomska-Gajadhur, Aleksandra Sobczak, Aleksandra Kruk, Michalina Perron and Krzysztof Krawczyk
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1815; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041815 - 18 Feb 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2074
Abstract
Materials used for medical applications (e.g., the cellular scaffold) should have not only the specific chemical composition, but the surface layer properties as well. For this reason, a method which enables an increase in the number of pores, wettability of the surface, and [...] Read more.
Materials used for medical applications (e.g., the cellular scaffold) should have not only the specific chemical composition, but the surface layer properties as well. For this reason, a method which enables an increase in the number of pores, wettability of the surface, and improvement the conditions of nutrient transportation into the membrane is being studied. The plasma of a dielectric barrier discharge was applied for the surface modification of polylactide obtained by dry or wet phase inversion. The plasma-modified surface was analyzed by contact angle measurements with water and diiodomethane. The surface free energy (SFE) was calculated by the Owens–Wendt method. The highest SFE and its polar component (67.6 mJ/m2 and 39.5 mJ/m2, respectively) were received when the process was conducted in an Ar + CO2 gas mixture with a discharge power of 20 W. The purpose of this research was to increase the wettability and porosity of the membrane’s surface. It can be concluded that the dielectric barrier discharge can effectively change the surface of the polylactide membranes, and that the structure of the modified membranes was not damaged during modification. The process of modification was easier for the membranes made by dry phase inversion. These materials had higher SFE values after the modification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology)
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8 pages, 2985 KiB  
Article
Influence of a Helium–Nitrogen RF Plasma Jet on Onion Seed Germination
by Agnieszka Starek-Wójcicka, Agnieszka Sagan, Piotr Terebun, Michał Kwiatkowski, Piotr Kiczorowski and Joanna Pawlat
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(24), 8973; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10248973 - 16 Dec 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2495
Abstract
This paper presents an experiment using a radio frequency atmospheric pressure plasma jet to generate cold plasma for pre-sowing stimulation of Wolska onion seeds. Impact of the He + N2 afterglow plasma on germination was investigated. Eight groups of seeds characterized by [...] Read more.
This paper presents an experiment using a radio frequency atmospheric pressure plasma jet to generate cold plasma for pre-sowing stimulation of Wolska onion seeds. Impact of the He + N2 afterglow plasma on germination was investigated. Eight groups of seeds characterized by different exposure times (2, 5, 10, 15, 60, 120, 240, and 480 s) and distance from the electrodes (20 mm and 50 mm) were used. Pre-sowing plasma stimulation of the seeds improved the germination capacity and germination energy for all tested groups, relative to control. The impact of radio frequency plasma on the onion seed germination parameters was statistically significant. The highest germination parameters were obtained for seeds stimulated for 240 s at a distance of 50 mm. No significant differences in physical and morphological properties of onion seeds were found. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology)
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8 pages, 5977 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigations on Laser Ablation of Aluminum in Sub-Picosecond Regimes
by Katarzyna Garasz and Marek Kocik
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(24), 8883; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10248883 - 12 Dec 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2287
Abstract
Due to high power and ultrashort pulses, femtosecond lasers excel at (but are not limited to) processing materials whose thicknesses are less than 500 microns. Numerous experiments and theoretical analyses testify to the fact that there are solid grounds for the applications of [...] Read more.
Due to high power and ultrashort pulses, femtosecond lasers excel at (but are not limited to) processing materials whose thicknesses are less than 500 microns. Numerous experiments and theoretical analyses testify to the fact that there are solid grounds for the applications of ultrafast laser micromachining. However, with high costs and complexity of these devices, a sub-picosecond laser that might be an alternative when it comes to various micromachining applications, such as patterns and masks in thin metal foils, micro-nozzles, thermo-detectors, MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems), sensors, etc. Furthermore, the investigation of sub-picosecond laser interactions with matter could provide more knowledge on the ablation mechanisms and experimental verification of existing models for ultrashort pulse regimes. In this article, we present the research on sub-picosecond laser interactions with thin aluminum foil under various laser pulse parameters. Research was conducted with two types of ultrafast lasers: a prototype sub-picosecond Yb:KYW laser (650 fs) and a commercially available femtosecond Ti:S laser (35 fs). The results show how the variables such as pulse width, energy, frequency, wavelength and irradiation time affect the micromachining process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology)
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17 pages, 3461 KiB  
Article
Concept for Improved Handling Ensures Effective Contactless Plasma Treatment of Patients with kINPen® MED
by Veronika Hahn, Daniel Grollmisch, Hannes Bendt, Thomas von Woedtke, Bodo Nestler, Klaus-Dieter Weltmann and Torsten Gerling
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(17), 6133; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10176133 - 3 Sep 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2993
Abstract
The nursing of patients with wounds is an essential part of medical healthcare. In this context, cold atmospheric-pressure plasma sources can be applied for skin decontamination and stimulation of wound healing. One of these plasma devices is the commercially available kINPen® MED [...] Read more.
The nursing of patients with wounds is an essential part of medical healthcare. In this context, cold atmospheric-pressure plasma sources can be applied for skin decontamination and stimulation of wound healing. One of these plasma devices is the commercially available kINPen® MED (neoplas tools GmbH), a cold atmospheric-pressure plasma jet which is approved as a medical device, class-IIa. For the plasma treatment, a sterile disposable spacer is recommended to ensure a constant and effective distance between plasma and skin. The disadvantage of this spacer is its form and size which means that the effective axis/area is not visible for the attending doctor or qualified personnel and consequently it is a more or less intuitive treatment. In addition, the suggested perpendicular treatment is not applicable for the attending specialist due to lack of space or patient/wound positioning. A concept of a sensory unit was developed to measure the treatment distance and to visualize the effective treatment area for different angles. To determine the effective area for the plasma treatment, some exemplary methods were performed. Thus, the antimicrobial (Staphylococcus aureus DSM799/ATCC6538) efficacy, reactive oxygen species (ROS) distribution and (vacuum) ultraviolet ((V)UV) irradiation were determined depending on the treatment angle. Finally, a simplified first approach to visualize the effective treatment area at an optimal distance was designed and constructed to train attending specialists for optimal wound area coverage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Processing for Food, Agriculture, Environment, Medicine, and Technology)
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