Generation and transport mechanisms of chemical species by a post-discharge flow for inactivation of bacteria

A post-discharge flow that is formed downstream of a microwave argon plasma in atmospheric air was investigated to clarify the generation and transport of chemical species, which are considered to result in the inactivation of bacteria. The flow, which is characterized by ultra-weak emission, can be visualized using an optical analysis system. This visualized jet-like flow forms downstream of the nozzle exit, and then, as the gas temperature is 877 K at the center of the nozzle exit, the main flow travels upstream around the quartz tube due to buoyancy, the reason being that the temperature decreases to room temperature at 30 mm downstream. It was clarified that excited argon atoms, molecular nitrogen (N₂ second positive system) and OH radicals were generated in the post-discharge flow, subsequent to which NO₂ and ions with a number density of 10⁶ counts cm^-3 were transported downstream below the main flow. These results imply that most of the heat and chemical species were transported by convective transport of the main flow, but that a small amount of chemically active species and ions might have been transported further downstream by diffusive transport, these species being considered to result in an inactivation effect on bacteria.