Plasma-activated water’s potential contribution to ‘One Health’
Bjoern H. Kolbe A , Bryan Coad B C and Katharina Richter A D *A
B
C
D
Bjoern Hendrik Kolbe is a PhD student at The University of Adelaide in the research group of Dr Katharina Richter. His background is in applied material science and dental technologies. Based on his previous experience in plasma technology, he currently researches plasma-activated water to combat foodborne pathogens. |
Dr Bryan Coad is a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide. His background is in physical chemistry. His areas of research interest include biomaterials and plasma processes. |
Dr Katharina Richter is a biomedical researcher with global work stints in Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands and Australia. A trained pharmacist she completed her PhD in medicine and applied microbiology in 2017 and started her own research group in 2019 at The University of Adelaide. Her group has two priorities: (i) developing new treatments against infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and (ii) improving health literacy of the society by effective science communication through public speaking, science outreach and STEM workshops at schools. |
Abstract
Foodborne pathogens cause a major burden to public health and the economy, costing A$2.44 billion, and causing 48,000 hospitalisations annually in Australia. With an increasing global impact of foodborne illnesses and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, new decontamination technologies should consider the One Health approach to human, animal and environmental health. This review explores the application of plasma-activated water (PAW) as a novel sanitisation method. We discuss the implications of adopting PAW as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective sanitiser through a multidisciplinary One Health perspective. The findings underscore the promising role of PAW in mitigating foodborne pathogens, offering a holistic solution that aligns with the principles of One Health for enhanced food safety and public health.
Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, cold plasma, decontamination, food safety, foodborne pathogens, plasma-activated liquids, sanitiser.
Bjoern Hendrik Kolbe is a PhD student at The University of Adelaide in the research group of Dr Katharina Richter. His background is in applied material science and dental technologies. Based on his previous experience in plasma technology, he currently researches plasma-activated water to combat foodborne pathogens. |
Dr Bryan Coad is a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide. His background is in physical chemistry. His areas of research interest include biomaterials and plasma processes. |
Dr Katharina Richter is a biomedical researcher with global work stints in Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands and Australia. A trained pharmacist she completed her PhD in medicine and applied microbiology in 2017 and started her own research group in 2019 at The University of Adelaide. Her group has two priorities: (i) developing new treatments against infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and (ii) improving health literacy of the society by effective science communication through public speaking, science outreach and STEM workshops at schools. |
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