TT3: Plasma treatment of soft/bio-matter:
Application: LTP-enabled surface modification for COVID-19 sterilization and antibacterial properties. LTP-enabled seed germination and rhizome/bulb sprouting, seed and leaf surface sterilization, enhanced plant growth, yield, and quality.
Background: Catheter-associated infection (CAI) is a major concern in urinary and dialysis access. Similarly, biofilm or plaque formation is the primary cause of decay of tooth and tooth attachments in periodontal diseases10. Two major ways to mitigate the infections are either killing bacteria by antibiotic drugs or inhibiting bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation using antifouling surfaces. The use of antibiotics can lead to multi-drug resistance (MDR) with time, especially with continuous use of multiple antibiotics as in the case of Osteomyelitis bone disease11. Another concern linked to CAI is related to pyrogens coming from bacteria18. Hence, sterilization and decontamination of surface of implant and grafts for bio-interfacing surfaces is an important alternative, especially in COVID 19-like pandemic situations. Therefore, there is an unmet urgent need for new methods of decontamination and sterilization (FR1.4(b)) that ensures complete removal of bacteria, pyrogens, and attached proteins without drug-resistance issues. Promoting early seed germination and sprouting of rhizomes and bulbs of economically important crops ensures proper crop growth and yield formation due to early start, uniform crop establishment, and season extension. Seed surface sterilization is essential for killing seed-borne pathogens. Use of LTP for such purposes eliminates the use of toxic chemicals and reduces environmental pollution besides other benefits. Enhanced plant growth ensures full utilization of the growing season often resulting in robust plants, higher yields, and better-quality produce. Seed sanitization will result in healthy, disease-free crops with a better yield than untreated controls.
Proposed Research: LTP provides a unique route to combat MDR as it is a fast and efficient broad-band disinfection technology that is not constrained by bacterial resistance mechanisms12. Barrier membranes created by 3D printing will be studied for periodontal bone and ligament tissue by in vitro cell culture methods using commercial cell lines or primary cells. Using LTP, silver nanoparticles will be incorporated in 3-D printed biomaterials for demonstration of antimicrobial characteristics. LTP will also be utilized in activation of antimicrobial compounds for releasing antiviral therapeutic agents. Seeds of economically important crops will be assessed for growth, yield, and quality with or without seed-borne pathogen and with or without exposure to LTP. Similarly seeds and rhizomes/bulbs of economically important crops will be evaluated for growth, yield, and produce quality with or without LTP. The efficacy and mode of action of different plasma gases and times of exposure will be evaluated as well.
Impacts: Plasma based sterilization and antimicrobial properties will have an immediate impact on improving the longevity of biomedical implants and grafts and an effective way of dealing with drugresistant bacteria. In addition, LTP-synthesized flexible textile/paper substrates for spectroscopic detection of the COVID causing virus will offer a rapid testing tool. LTP enabled seed, plant growth, and yield and quality improvements will reduce agriculture-based environmental pollution, efficient crop production for optimal yields, and better-quality produce with minimal or no chemical residues. These outcomes have implications for economic improvement and agricultural sustainability.