Publication
Title
Characterization of non-thermal dielectric barrier discharges for plasma medicine : from plastic well plates to skin surfaces
Author
Abstract
In the past decade, the applications of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technologies have been expanding, and one of the most exciting and rapidly growing applications is in biology and medicine. Most biomedical studies with DBD plasma systems are performed in vitro, which include cells grown on the surface of plastic well plates, or in vivo, which include animal research models (e.g. mice, pigs). Since many DBD systems use the biological target as the secondary electrode for direct plasma generation and treatment, they are sensitive to the surface properties of the target, and thus can be altered based on the in vitro or in vivo system used. This could consequently affect biological response from plasma treatment. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the DBD plasma behavior both in vitro (i.e. 96-well flat bottom plates, 96-well U-bottom plates, and 24-well flat bottom plates), and in vivo (i.e. mouse skin). Intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) imaging was performed and the plasma discharges were visually distinguishable between the different systems. The geometry of the wells did not affect DBD plasma generation for low application distances (& LE; 2 mm), but differentially affected plasma uniformity on the bottom of the well at greater distances. Since DBD plasma treatment in vitro is rarely performed in dry wells for plasma medicine experiments, the effect of well wetness was also investigated. In all in vitro cases, the uniformity of the DBD plasma was affected when comparing wet versus dry wells, with the plasma in the wide-bottom wells appearing the most similar to plasma generated on mouse skin. Interestingly, based on quantification of ICCD images, the DBD plasma intensity per surface area demonstrated an exponential one-phase decay with increasing application distance, regardless of the in vitro or in vivo system. This trend is similar to that of the energy per pulse of plasma, which is used to determine the total plasma treatment energy for biological systems. Optical emission spectroscopy performed on the plasma revealed similar trends in radical species generation between the plastic well plates and mouse skin. Therefore, taken together, DBD plasma intensity per surface area may be a valuable parameter to be used as a simple method for in situ monitoring during biological treatment and active plasma treatment control, which can be applied for in vitro and in vivo systems.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Plasma chemistry and plasma processing. - New York, N.Y., 1981, currens
Publication
New york : Springer , 2023
ISSN
0272-4324 [print]
1572-8986 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S11090-023-10389-W
Volume/pages
43 :6 (2023) , p. 1587-1612
ISI
001072607700001
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
From physical plasma to cellular pathway: a multi-disciplinary approach to unravel the response pathways induced by nonthermal plasma for cancer therapy.
Investigating fundamental plasma effects on tumor microenvironment through development of a controlled plasma treatment system for clinical cancer therapy.
Plasma-liquid interaction: Combined 0D-2D modeling and experimental validation.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 30.10.2023
Last edited 10.04.2024
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