Inactivation mechanism of fungal spores through oxygen radicals in atmospheric-pressure plasma

Abstract

A brief history of the development of our plasma technology for the disinfection of agricultural harvests is presented in this review. We focused on the influence of reactive oxygen species (ROS), e.g. ground-state oxygen atoms [O(3P j )], excited-state oxygen molecules [O2(1Δg)], and ozone (O3), generated from atmospheric-pressure plasmas on the inactivation of fungal spores under dry conditions. For elucidating the inactivation mechanisms, it is essential to reveal the key ROS. Using some powerful tools, we revealed that the dose of O(3P j ) strongly correlates with the inactivation of fungal spores when compared to those of another ROS, such as O2(1Δg) and O3. The balance of antioxidants in the spores is possibly modulated by O(3P j ), leading to oxidation of organelles in spores. Herein, we introduce and discuss how O(3P j ) contributes to the inactivation of fungal spores associated with in situ diagnostics of plasma generated ROS and in situ intracellular observations of a few fungal spore species.