Among human and animal diseases agents, parasites are those that show, with very few exceptions, an environmental resistance far superior with respect other pathogens [1]. This is due to the complex structure of the wall of their infective stages, that makes them particularly resistant to almost all physical and chemical agents. In this work, a novel technique to inactivate coccidian parasites in liquid environment has been investigated and implemented. A Petri dish filled with 20 ml of water contaminated by Eimeria spp. oocysts has been placed within a plasma reactor constituted by a lower HV exposed electrode and an upper grounded copper strip electrode covered by a ceramic slab (Fig. 1). The reactor has been supplied with sinusoidal and nanosecond-pulsed voltage waveforms varying the application time. In both cases an atmospheric pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) has been ignited in the air gap above the liquid surface and in contact with it [2]. The temperature of the solution and its pH level were not significantly changed by plasma treatment. The concentration of ozone and hydrogen peroxide increase by increasing treatment time [2]. Plasma treatment efficacy has been detected considering a representative population of 100 oocysts. For both discharges, treatment efficacy has been found to be dose dependent (Fig. 2). After an energy dose treatment of about 100 kJ/l, the number of sporulated oocytes are roughly halved with respect the control sample. Results are statistically significant with a p<0.01 in the worst case. [1] N.C. Smith, F.J. Lunden, H.D. Chapman, Parasitology Today, 14, 215-218 (1998). [2] Neretti G, Taglioli M, Colonna G and Borghi C A, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 26, 015013 (2017).
Neretti G., B.C.A. (2017). Inactivation of Eimeria spp. oocysts in aqueous environment assisted by a gas-liquid dielectric barrier discharge. Zagreb : LDK-PROMET d.o.o..
Inactivation of Eimeria spp. oocysts in aqueous environment assisted by a gas-liquid dielectric barrier discharge
Neretti G.;Borghi C. A.;Taglioli M.;Poglayen G.;Morandi B.;Galuppi R.;
2017
Abstract
Among human and animal diseases agents, parasites are those that show, with very few exceptions, an environmental resistance far superior with respect other pathogens [1]. This is due to the complex structure of the wall of their infective stages, that makes them particularly resistant to almost all physical and chemical agents. In this work, a novel technique to inactivate coccidian parasites in liquid environment has been investigated and implemented. A Petri dish filled with 20 ml of water contaminated by Eimeria spp. oocysts has been placed within a plasma reactor constituted by a lower HV exposed electrode and an upper grounded copper strip electrode covered by a ceramic slab (Fig. 1). The reactor has been supplied with sinusoidal and nanosecond-pulsed voltage waveforms varying the application time. In both cases an atmospheric pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) has been ignited in the air gap above the liquid surface and in contact with it [2]. The temperature of the solution and its pH level were not significantly changed by plasma treatment. The concentration of ozone and hydrogen peroxide increase by increasing treatment time [2]. Plasma treatment efficacy has been detected considering a representative population of 100 oocysts. For both discharges, treatment efficacy has been found to be dose dependent (Fig. 2). After an energy dose treatment of about 100 kJ/l, the number of sporulated oocytes are roughly halved with respect the control sample. Results are statistically significant with a p<0.01 in the worst case. [1] N.C. Smith, F.J. Lunden, H.D. Chapman, Parasitology Today, 14, 215-218 (1998). [2] Neretti G, Taglioli M, Colonna G and Borghi C A, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 26, 015013 (2017).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
