Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Water Treated under Methane with Low-Temperature Glow Plasma of Low Frequency

The Preparation of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles in Hyaluronic Acid and the Influence of Low-Pressure Plasma Treatment on Their Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties

Nanometals constitute a rapidly growing area of research within nanotechnology. Nanosilver and nanogold exhibit significant antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anticancer properties. The size and shape of nanoparticles are critical for determining their antimicrobial activity. In this study, silver and gold nanoparticles were synthesized within a hyaluronic acid matrix utilizing distilled water and distilled water treated with low-pressure, low-temperature glow plasma in an environment of air and argon. Electron microscopy, UV-Vis and FTIR spectra, water, and mechanical measurements were conducted to investigate the properties of nanometallic composites. This study also examined their microbiological properties. This study demonstrated that the properties of the composites differed depending on the preparation conditions, encompassing physicochemical and microbiological properties. The application of plasma-treated water under both air and argon had a significant effect on the size and distribution of nanometals. Silver nanoparticles were obtained between the range of 5 to 25 nm, while gold nanoparticles varied between 10 to 35 nm. The results indicate that the conditions under which silver and gold nanoparticles are produced have a significant effect on their mechanical and antibacterial properties.

The Impact of Dry Yeast Rehydrated in Different Plasma Treated Waters (PTWs) on Fermentation Process and Quality of Beer

Yeast plays a key role in the production of alcoholic beverages. Effective fermentation requires appropriate conditions to ensure the production of high-quality beer. The paper discusses the effect of dry brewing yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces pastorianus) after rehydration with water exposed to low-temperature, low-pressure glow plasma (PTW) in the atmosphere of air (PTWAir) and nitrogen (PTWN) in the course of the fermentation process, the formation of volatile compounds and other quality parameters of the finished beer. The obtained results show that the lager yeast strain initiated the process of fermentation faster after rehydration in the presence of PTWAir compared to all of the other treatments. It was observed that PTWAir significantly changed the composition of volatile compounds in the finished beer, especially by increasing the number of terpenes, which are compounds that positively shape the aroma of beer. In the case of PTWN samples, lower alcohol content, real extract, apparent extract and amount of biomass were observed in all analyzed strains.

Application of Water Treated with Low-Temperature Low-Pressure Glow Plasma (LPGP) in Various Industries

Plasma processing is now a key technology across the world, and nonthermal low-temperature plasmas are being increasingly used. This situation can be explained by a rapidly growing interest in the optimization of existing methods, as well as the development of new ones. Over the last few years, the production of plasma-treated water (PTW) by low-temperature low-pressure glow plasma (LPGP) under an atmosphere of various gases has been increasingly gaining in popularity. Research has been conducted on producing plasma-treated water in the presence of air, nitrogen, ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane. All the obtained results show that the changed physicochemical properties of the water depend on the type of gas used and the duration of the plasma treatment. New research is emerging on the possibility of using this water in plant breeding, animal husbandry, cosmetology, medicine, and food. For the first time, plasma-treated water has also been tested for use in the brewing industry at the raw material preparation stage. The results obtained in all branches of science are very promising, contributing to the growing interest in plasma-treated water within the scientific community.

Effect of Watering of Selected Seasoning Herbs with Water Treated with Low-Temperature, Low-Pressure Glow Plasma of Low Frequency

Plantations of lovage, marjoram, rosemary and thyme were watered with water treated with low-temperature, low-pressure glow plasma of low frequency. Such watering appeared beneficial to the extent dependent on particular herb. In terms of crop yield and quality, water treated with glow plasma performed best in the case of rosemary, and the worst results were observed for thyme. When yield of essential oils are taken into account, only in the case of lovage did such watering appear beneficial, while in the remaining cases it had no effect. However, such watering considerably changed the composition of essential oils. These changes were specific for a given herb and involved the quantity of particular components of the oils. Only in the essential oil from lovage did γ-terpinene appear as its novel component.

Specific Controlling Essential Oil Composition of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Involving Low-Temperature, Low-Pressure Glow Plasma of Low Frequency

The effect of watering basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) with water treated with low-pressure, low-temperature glow plasma of low frequency (LPGP) on growth habits and plant metabolites was tested. Watering with the LPGP treated water was beneficial for sprouting basil seeds. Watering with non-treated water was advantageous solely for the number of leaves per plant and mass of one leaf. Watering with the LPGP treated water in contact with the air (LPGPA), nitrogen (LPGPN), carbon dioxide (LPGPC), and methane (LPGPM) increased the total yield of collected essential oil by 40%, 60%, 20%, and 20%, respectively. Watering with water treated under molecular oxygen (LPGPO) decreased that yield by 12.5%. A diverse effect of particular kinds of the LPGP treated water upon the composition of isolated essential oil was also noted.

Reaction of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. to Water Treated with Low-Temperature, Low-Pressure Glow Plasma of Low Frequency

Lavandula angustifolia was watered with either deionized tap water treated with low-temperature, low-pressure glow plasma of low frequency in the air (LPGPA), under oxygen-free nitrogen (LPGPN), methane (LPGPM), carbon dioxide (LPGPC) or molecular oxygen (LPGPO). The crop yields were slightly dependent on the type of water used for watering. Notably, only plants watered with LPGPN showed a slightly higher crop yield. The plants also contained a higher level of protein and bioaccumulated magnesium. The type of water had a considerable and specific effect on the yield of isolated essential oils and their composition. The yield of essential oil decreased in the following order LPGPA = LPGPN (0.4 g/100 g dry mass) > LPGPC = LPGPO (0.3 g/100 g dry mass) > LPGPM = non-treated water (0.2 g/100 g dry mass). The composition of the isolated essential oils varied depending on the type of water used for watering, which influences their role as a fragrant component of cosmetics, and in herbal therapy and aromatherapy.

Structure and some physicochemical and functional properties of water treated under ammonia with low-temperature low-pressure glow plasma of low frequency

Deionized, tap and two kinds of commercially available mineralized water, after supplementation with ammonia, were treated with low-pressure, low-temperature glow plasma (GP) of low frequency. Treating hard water with ammonia provided the removal of permanent and temporary water hardness already at room temperature. On such treatment, mineralized water supplemented with ammonia was partly demineralized. Precipitated rhombohedral deposit from hard water did not turn into scale even when maintained in suspension for 3 days at around 90°C. In such manner, the use of other chemicals for prevention from the scale formation and/or for the scale removal is entirely dispensable. The rate and yield of precipitation depended on the concentration of admixed ammonia and the GP treatment time. Ammonia served as a ligand of calcium, magnesium and ferric central atoms of corresponding salts constituting the hardness. Moreover, ammonia constituting the atmosphere of the treatment was arrested inside aqueous clathrates. So, stabilized ammonia solutions could potentially be utilized as an environmental-friendly nitrogen fertilizer. The precipitate could also be utilized for the same purpose.

Water of Increased Content of Molecular Oxygen

Deionized and tap water were saturated with molecular oxygen either prior to (WST), or after (WTS), treatment with low-temperature, low-pressure glow plasma of low frequency (LPGP) for 0, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. Physical and physicochemical properties of the resulting liquids were characterized, involving pH, conductivity, density, dissolved molecular oxygen, active oxygen content, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS), Fourier transformation infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), electronic spin resonance (ESR), and Raman spectroscopies. Tap WST treated with LPGP for 30 min contained the highest level of dissolved molecular oxygen, compared to original non-treated tap water (23 and 15 mg/L, respectively). Essential differences in all investigated properties of LPGP treated tap and deionized WST, compared to those for corresponding WTS, pointed to the indispensable role of dissolved oxygen molecules in building water macrostructure. In the case of tap WST, formation of niches and/or caverns hosting anions (HCO3−, SO4=) was accompanied by cations less enveloped by hydroxyl groups of water. The WST water contained niches of larger size, hosting molecules of oxygen interacting with the environment in various manners. In WTS there was a priority for single donor, single hydrogen bonded water, and free water in building the macrostructure. Such macrostructures host molecular oxygen which, depending on the LPGP treatment time, took either a singlet of triplet state.

Cultivation of Cress Involving Water Treated Under Different Atmospheres with Low-Temperature, Low-Pressure Glow Plasma of Low Frequency

Watering cress with tap water treated for 30 min with low-temperature, low-pressure glow plasma of low frequency (LPGP) in the air (LPGPA), saturated with either nitrogen (LPGPN), CO2 (LPGPC) or methane (LPGPM), promoted the yield of crops. Their efficiency increased in the order LPGPA < LPGPN < LPGPM < LPGPC. The kind of water prior and after the treatment specifically influenced the fat and protein content in the watered cress and had no effect on the carbohydrate content. Watering cress with water saturated with N2 and CO2 slightly increased the total chlorophyll content, whereas watering with water saturated with CH4 significantly decreased it. Watering with plasma-treated water always resulted in an increase in the total chlorophyll content and subtly influenced the content of carotenoids and ascorbic acid. Watering cress with water saturated with particular gases influenced the bioaccumulation of cations and anions.

Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Water Treated under Carbon Dioxide with Low-Temperature Low-Pressure Glow Plasma of Low Frequency

Treatment of water saturated with CO2 with low-temperature, low-pressure glow plasma of low-frequency (GP) produced a series of liquids. Their temperature and intensity of thermal effects non-linearly depended on the treatment time. However, the Raman spectra patterns of the treated water pointed to a specific structure of the water treated for 30 min. The spectra of control, non-treated water saturated with CO2, and such water treated for 15, 60, 90, and 120 min showed that their macrostructure was built mainly by a single donor, and single hydrogen bonded arrangements accompanied, to a certain extent, with free water molecules. The macrostructure of the water treated for 30 min consisted chiefly of tetrahedral and deformed tetrahedral structural units. That water contained long-living free radicals of discussed structure, stabilized in such macrostructure.