Principle and Application of Sanitization Function of Plasma Cluster Ions

Abstract

We have developed a discharge plasma air-cleaning technology known as PlasmaCluster Ion® (PCI), which generates both positive and negative ions in the air. The present study was designed to determine the mechanism of the ions’ effect on bacteria. We confirmed that PCI destroys the surface of airborne and attached bacteria. The present paper reports the principle of PCI and the results of examination of its bactericidal effect. We also show how the device produces cluster ions from a specially designed discharge electrode and investigate what types of ion are detected in mass-spectroscopy analysis.