Applications of Plasma Activated Water and Media in Medicine and Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

Low-temperature (cold) atmospheric pressure plasmas represent a green alternative to conventional chemicals used as antibacterial and antiseptic agents or pesticides. Cold plasma discharges, when applied in combination with water and other liquids, can produce “plasma activated water” (PAW) and “plasma activated” aqueous solutions or media (PAM). The complex physical and chemical processes occurring when plasma interacts with liquids offer a rich source of short- and long-lived chemical species, mostly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). They are critical for many applications ranging from environmental remediation, healthcare, and agriculture to material science. Exciting novel applications of plasma–liquid interactions and PAW/PAM present many challenging multidisciplinary scientific questions.

This Special Issue is open for recent findings in novel applications of PAW and PAM in life sciences, medicine, cosmetics, and agriculture. The range of potential biomedical applications is broad: from antibacterial PAW that can be used as a disinfectant or antiseptic agent, through its use in dentistry, e.g., in root canal disinfection, in dermatology and wound healing, to the delicate selective treatment of cancer cells and tumors with PAM or plasma activated solutions. In agriculture, PAW represents a strong potential as a seed germination inducer, surrogate bactericidal/fungicidal agent, or sometimes combined with organic waste, as a green fertilizer. Between these two application areas, the use of PAW in food technology can provide clean and antimicrobial washing of fresh food products. Papers providing fundamental insights into the understanding of water activation by plasmas and detailed analysis of active species are especially welcome.

Prof. Dr. Zdenko Machala
Guest Editor

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