Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Water Disinfection: Mechanisms, Efficacy and Resistant Bacteria Inactivation
Manca Lunder, Sebastian Dahle, Rok Fink
Abstract
ABSTRACT The overuse and misuse of antibiotics has accelerated the emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, posing challenges healthcare and environmental safety. These pathogens are particularly problematic in hospital wastewater, where conventional disinfection often fails, allowing the spread of resistance genes. Cold atmospheric plasma offers an innovative solution by generating Plasma activated water, which further inactivates resistant bacteria without promoting additional resistance. CAP's eco‐friendly nature and broad‐spectrum antimicrobial efficacy make it a potential breakthrough in combating antimicrobial resistance. Its effectiveness depends on factors such as reactive species concentration, water pH, exposure time, and water composition. However, further research is needed to optimize treatment parameters, elucidate microbial inactivation mechanisms, and assess PAW's long‐term impact for scalable applications.