Page 453 - IJB-10-5

International Journal of Bioprinting 3D-printed plasma devices for decontamination

NO , and H O ), reducing the exposure time required for inactivation of respiratory pathogens by approximately 50%.
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In addition to reducing infectivity and viability, CAP treatment led to the destruction of viral nucleic acids and physical
damage to bacterial cells. Owing to its flexibility and easy implementation, optimized CAP generated by 3D-printed
devices provides an attractive inactivation method adaptable for different biological applications, including surface
decontamination from viral and bacterial pathogens.
Keywords: 3D-printed devices; Adenovirus; Disinfection; Influenza A; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Reactive oxygen
species; Rhinovirus; SARS-CoV-2

1. Introduction discharge. The ionized gas is composed of reactive
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oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS; e.g., OH, H O ,
Three-dimensional (3D)-printing technology is a powerful NO, and NO ), radicals, free electrons, electric fields,
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and readily implementable approach for creating devices for heat, and other elements. In propagating ionization
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diverse biological applications. The moldability provided waves, the gas draws particles out of the electrode area,
by 3D printing technology, with its highly flexible design of forming a stream of (re)active particles that fills the entire
external and internal structures, allows for the optimization reaction chamber (Figure 1). Microbial inhibition by
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of the physical properties of cold atmospheric plasma CAP is hypothesized to result from several processes.
(CAP) or nonthermal plasma (NTP). These properties are Some researchers discovered that active plasma particles
significantly influenced by the geometry of 3D-printed target proteins, DNA, the cell wall, and membranes. For
devices. The biological exploitation of CAP is an emerging example, oxygen species, such as O (singlet oxygen) and
technology for decontaminating various types of liquids, O (ozone), may physically affect the cell membrane and
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medical materials, devices, and even surfaces across diverse cause DNA damage. O has been reported as the main
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industries. Additionally, the antimicrobial effects of CAP or additional factor 31,32 involved in the inactivation of the
are well documented. Compared with conventional bacteriophage MS2 and human adenovirus (HAdV).
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decontamination techniques, CAP has several advantages, Hydrogen peroxide (H O ) has been suggested to be
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such as on-demand operation (easy on/off switching), crucial for the inactivation of respiratory syncytial
simple handling, low cost and maintenance, performance virus (RSV) and influenza A virus (IAV) but to play
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at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure, and the only a minor role in the inactivation of HAdV. RONS
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ability to function in dry conditions. CAP has been applied can damage cells by reacting with various cellular
in a wide range of fields, including physics, chemistry, biomacromolecules, such as proteins, lipids, and DNA.
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biological sciences, life sciences, and medicine. 8–14 As CAP components can enter cells, it is not surprising
Biomaterial-associated microbial contamination in that cell organelles, such as mitochondria and nuclei,
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biologically conducive 3D tissue-engineered constructs are affected. Additionally, direct damage to nucleic
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has greatly limited the clinical application of scaffold acids and proteins has been reported. These findings
systems. 15,16 Although antimicrobial biomaterials are contribute to the reported effective disinfection of various
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being developed to prevent such infections, 17,18 their use microorganisms. Pathogens can undergo oxidative
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in bioprinting-based approaches for scaffold fabrication damage from various RONS, and the synergistic effect
has not been thoroughly examined to date. Therefore, of combining these reactive species in CAP can increase
CAP may emerge as an alternative technical approach for their efficiency. A significant challenge lies in the precise
surface decontamination of bioprinted materials in the control of CAP parameters. Surface decontamination may
future. The bactericidal effects of CAP are well established, be more effective when physical parameters are optimized
but research on its effectiveness against pathogenic viruses to produce specific concentrations of individual RONS.
remains relatively limited, 19–24 despite several reviews that Human respiratory pathogens, including viruses
have been published. 25–27 The virucidal mechanism of (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
CAP is influenced by the characteristics of the plasma- 2 [SARS-CoV-2], IAV, HAdV, and human rhinovirus
generating devices, specifically their geometry, electric [HRV]) and bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa),
voltage and current applied, and several other application can spread via different modes of transmission, and the
parameters. CAP is produced by ionizing a neutral gas, control of contaminated surfaces is an important measure
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e.g., ambient air, using a source of energy such as electric in different settings. 42–46 Human coronaviruses, such as
Volume 10 Issue 5 (2024) 445 doi: 10.36922/ijb.3679