Abstract:

Bacteria utilize quorum sensing（QS）to secrete signaling molecules and extracellular polymeric substances（EPS）, enabling bacterial aggregation and adhesion to both biotic and abiotic surfaces, ultimately forming resilient and potentially harmful biofilms under certain conditions. Currently, the detrimental impact of biofilms in various fields such as medical, food, and agricultural industries is escalating. Particularly, certain pathogenic bacteria not only pose threats to human health but also incur significant socio-economic costs. Traditional disinfection and sterilization methods often struggle to entirely eradicate biofilms, while also presenting risks of secondary contamination. The strong adhesion of biofilms to different surfaces across various media constitutes a significant challenge in their removal. Therefore, immersion and cleaning with highly active solutions represent effective strategies for biofilm elimination. The reactive oxygen species（ROS）and reactive nitrogen species（RNS）activated in water by cold plasma technology disrupted bacterial cell walls and peptidoglycan structures, effectively inhibiting microbial adhesion and aggregation. As a potent antimicrobial solution, cold plasma-activated water has found extensive application in biomedical, food decontamination, and seed germination fields. However, the active agents in cold plasma-activated water are prone to dissipation, challenging long-term storage and leading to diminished antimicrobial efficacy. Recent advancements have seen the development of cold plasma-activated solutions, either by incorporating various media or combining other technologies, which effectively prolong the lifespan of active agents, marking a new direction in disinfection and antimicrobial research. This review delineates the mechanisms of antimicrobial action of cold plasma-activated water and solutions, with a focus on their efficacy in biofilm eradication, highlighting the biofilm formation process. It aims to provide a theoretical reference for biofilm removal and control in environmental and medical fields.

Key words: cold plasma-activated solution, biofilm, bacteriostatic action, decontamination, quorum sensing, reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species