Non-thermal plasmas (NTPs) for inactivation of viruses in abiotic environment

Abstract

Despite several successful disinfection strategies, process of controlling the environmental survival and transmission of human pathogenic viruses is becoming increasingly more difficult because of their emerging resistance to disinfectants. Therefore, range of non-chemical methods of inactivation is being explored extensively as an alternative. Especially, non-thermal, chemical-free techniques find wide application in the inactivation of air-borne, water and food-borne and surface-borne viruses. Among such methods, the application of non-thermal plasmas (NTPs) for viral inactivation is a relatively new technique and is quite promising. The present review evaluates comprehensively the studies of virucidal effect of NTPs against human pathogenic viruses in abiotic environment.