There is growing interest in the use of physical plasmas (ionized gases) for biomedical applications, especially in the framework of so-called “plasma medicine”, which exploits the action of low-power, atmospheric pressure plasmas for therapeutic purposes. Such plasmas are “cold plasmas”, in the sense that only electrons have a high temperature, whereas ions and the neutral gas particles are at or near room temperature. As a consequence, the “plasma flame” can be directly applied to living matter without appreciable thermal load. Reactive chemical species, charged particles, visible and UV radiation, and electric fields are interaction channels of the plasma with pathogens, cells, and tissues, which can trigger a variety of different responses. Possible applications include disinfection, wound healing, cancer treatment, non-thermal blood coagulation, just to mention some. The understanding of the mechanisms of plasma action on living matter requires a strongly interdisciplinary approach, with competencies ranging from plasma physics and technology to chemistry, to biology and finally to medicine. This book is a collection of work that explores recent advances in this field.

Cold plasma generated in an open environment with a temperature nearly around room temperature has recently been a topic of great importance. It has unlocked the door of plasma application in a new direction: biomedical applications. Cold atmospheric pressure (CAP) plasma comprises various neutral and charged reactive species, UV radiations, electric current/fields etc., which have several impactful effects on biological matter. Some of the significant biological effects of CAP plasma are inactivation of microorganism, stimulation of cell proliferation and tissue regeneration, destruction of cells by initializing apoptosis etc. Although the detailed mechanism of action of plasma on biomaterials is still not completely understood, some basic principles are known. Studies have indicated that the reactive oxygen species and nitrogen species (ROS, RNS) play a crucial role in the observed biological effects. In this perspective, this chapter first provides a brief discussion on the fundamentals of CAP plasma and its generation methods. Then a discussion on the optical diagnostics methods to characterize the plasma is provided. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) is used to identify the reactive species and to measure their relative concentration. Other important plasma parameters such as gas temperature, electron/excitation temperature and electron density measurement methods using OES have also been discussed. Then a discussion on the application of CAP plasma in biomedical field is provided. A thorough understanding of biochemical reaction mechanisms involving highly reactive plasma species will further improve and extend CAP plasma technology in biomedical applications.

Non-equilibrium plasma (or low-temperature plasma, LTP) offers a chemically rich medium without the need for high power and elevated temperatures. This unique characteristic has made LTP very useful for various industrial and biomedical applications where thermal effects are not desirable. In addition, the relative simplicity of the design of sources capable of generating non-equilibrium plasma at atmospheric pressure makes LTP a very attractive technology that can accomplish the same or better results than much more complex and expensive approaches. This book describes various low-temperature plasma sources and some of their environmental and biomedical applications. The plasma sources covered in this book include low-temperature plasma jets which are novel devices that can launch low-power, low-temperature plasma plumes in ambient air. These plasma plumes can accurately and reliably be aimed at a surface to be treated or at a biological target such as cells and tissues. The application of these plasma jets in medicine, including in cancer therapy, are thoroughly discussed in this book. The contents of this book will appeal to engineers, medical experts, academics, and students who work with plasma technology.

Plasma can be defined as the extracellular matrix of blood cells. Plasma components, their role in human health risk evaluation, and their functional and clinical analyses are covered in this book. Furthermore, physical plasma-ionized gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter. This homonym has begun to emerge because it can interact with living systems. The physical plasma biomedical applications are reviewed in drug delivery and wound healing medical applications. This approach revolutionizes the therapeutic approaches in medicine and may open up new concepts and clinical applications. The book is an essential source for researchers in the field and provides a platform for different professions.

This comprehensive text is suitable for researchers and graduate students of a ‘hot’ new topic in medical physics. Written by the world’s leading experts, this book aims to present recent developments in plasma medicine, both technological and scientific, reviewed in a fashion accessible to the highly interdisciplinary audience consisting of doctors, physicists, biologists, chemists and other scientists, university students and professors, engineers and medical practitioners. The book focuses on major topics and covers the physics required to develop novel plasma discharges relevant for medical applications, the medicine to apply the technology not only in-vitro but also in-vivo testing and the biology to understand complicated bio-chemical processes involved in plasma interaction with living tissues.

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising and rapidly emerging technology for a wide range of applications, from daily life to industry. CAP’s key advantage is its unique ability to effectively deliver reactive species to subjects including biological materials, liquid media, aerosols, and manufactured surfaces. This book assesses the state-of-art in CAP research and implementation for applications including agriculture, medicine, environment, materials, catalysis, and energy. The mechanisms of generation and transport of the key reactive species in the plasma are introduced and examined in the context of their applications. Opportunities and challenges for novel technologies, fresh ideas/concepts, expanded multidisciplinary study, and new applications are discussed. The authors’ vision for the converging trends across diverse disciplines is proposed to stimulate critical discussions, research directions, and collaborations.

There is growing interest in the use of physical plasmas (ionized gases) for biomedical applications, especially in the framework of so-called “plasma medicine”, which exploits the action of low-power, atmospheric pressure plasmas for therapeutic purposes. Such plasmas are “cold plasmas”, in the sense that only electrons have a high temperature, whereas ions and the neutral gas particles are at or near room temperature. As a consequence, the “plasma flame” can be directly applied to living matter without appreciable thermal load. Reactive chemical species, charged particles, visible and UV radiation, and electric fields are interaction channels of the plasma with pathogens, cells, and tissues, which can trigger a variety of different responses. Possible applications include disinfection, wound healing, cancer treatment, non-thermal blood coagulation, just to mention some. The understanding of the mechanisms of plasma action on living matter requires a strongly interdisciplinary approach, with competencies ranging from plasma physics and technology to chemistry, to biology and finally to medicine. This book is a collection of work that explores recent advances in this field.