Iranian
Biomedical Journal
Volume 30, Issue 2 (Supplementary 2026)
IBJ 2026, 30(2): 50-50 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Ajalli M M. Unprecedented Eradication of Biofilms on Flexible Endoscopes Using Cold Atmospheric Plasma-Aerosol. IBJ 2026; 30 (2) :50-50
URL: http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-5553-en.html
URL: http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-5553-en.html
Abstract:
Introduction: Sterilization of medical equipment is critical to prevent healthcare-associated infections, yet conventional methods often fail against resilient biofilms on heat-sensitive devices. However, effective low-temperature alternatives that eradicate biofilms without damaging materials remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrate the unprecedented efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma-aerosol (CAP-A) in sterilizing biofilm-contaminated endoscopes.
Materials and Methods: We exposed Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms on flexible endoscopes to CAP-A generated from a helium-oxygen mixture at room temperature. Treatment durations ranged from 5 to 15 minutes, followed by viability assessments via colony-forming unit counts and confocal microscopy.
Results and Discussion: CAP-A treatment reduced biofilm viability by over 6 log units (99.9999% inactivation) within 10 minutes, compared to less than 2 log units for hydrogen peroxide vapor (n = 12; p < 0.001). Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species penetrated biofilms up to 50 μm deep, resolving structures at 1 μm resolution via microscopy. No material degradation occurred, with surface integrity preserved (>99% similarity to controls). Against multi-species biofilms, inactivation reached 7 log units, establishing superior performance over prevailing low-temperature methods.
Conclusion: The approach suggested in our study establishes CAP-A as a transformative sterilization technique for thermolabile medical devices, paving the way for reduced infection rates in clinical settings.
Materials and Methods: We exposed Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms on flexible endoscopes to CAP-A generated from a helium-oxygen mixture at room temperature. Treatment durations ranged from 5 to 15 minutes, followed by viability assessments via colony-forming unit counts and confocal microscopy.
Results and Discussion: CAP-A treatment reduced biofilm viability by over 6 log units (99.9999% inactivation) within 10 minutes, compared to less than 2 log units for hydrogen peroxide vapor (n = 12; p < 0.001). Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species penetrated biofilms up to 50 μm deep, resolving structures at 1 μm resolution via microscopy. No material degradation occurred, with surface integrity preserved (>99% similarity to controls). Against multi-species biofilms, inactivation reached 7 log units, establishing superior performance over prevailing low-temperature methods.
Conclusion: The approach suggested in our study establishes CAP-A as a transformative sterilization technique for thermolabile medical devices, paving the way for reduced infection rates in clinical settings.
 |
Keywords: Biofilm inactivation, Cold atmospheric plasma, Endoscope sterilization, Low-temperature disinfection, Reactive species
Type of Study: Congress |
Subject:
Related Fields
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
IBJ is a member of Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
and follows its guidelines |
The articles of this journal are licensed under
a Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivatives 4.0 International License. .png) |
 IBJ is owned and published by Pasteur Institute of Iran |