Publications by authors named "V Scholtz"
The paper reports a low-cost handheld source of a cold air plasma intended for biomedical applications that can be made by anyone (detailed technical information and a step-by-step guide for creating the NTP source are provided). The plasma source employs a 1.4 W corona discharge in the needle-to-cone electrode configuration and is an extremely simple device, consisting basically of two electrodes and a cheap power supply.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFungal contamination poses a persistent challenge to industries, particularly in food, healthcare, and clinical sectors, due to the remarkable resilience of fungi in withstanding conventional control methods. In this context, our research delves into the comparative efficacy of UV radiation and non-thermal plasma (NTP) on key foodborne fungal contaminants - , , , and . The study examined the impact of varying doses of UV radiation on the asexual spores of all mentioned fungal strains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: The main objective of the study was to develop and validate a model for the growth of Aspergillus brasiliensis on surfaces, specifically on agar culture medium. An additional aim was to determine conditions for complete growth inhibition of this micromycete using two different nonthermal plasma (NTP) sources.
Methods And Results: The developed model uses two key parameters, namely the growth rate and growth delay, which depend on the cultivation temperature and the amount of inoculum.
Antibiotic resistance (ATBR) is increasing every year as the overuse of antibiotics (ATBs) and the lack of newly emerging antimicrobial agents lead to an efficient pathogen escape from ATBs action. This trend is alarming and the World Health Organization warned in 2021 that ATBR could become the leading cause of death worldwide by 2050. The development of novel ATBs is not fast enough considering the situation, and alternative strategies are therefore urgently required.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is gaining attention in the food industry as a method for effectively decontaminating surfaces, especially against resilient microbial biofilms that resist standard disinfectants.
- - A study comparing the effectiveness of NTP and UV radiation on mature biofilms of four common foodborne fungi showed that NTP resulted in significant damage to the biofilm structure and reduced harmful substances produced by the fungi.
- - The findings suggest that NTP could serve as a more environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to traditional disinfection methods, highlighting its potential in biofilm eradication efforts.