Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Water Treated under Carbon Dioxide with Low-Temperature Low-Pressure 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.

Comparison of Physicochemical Properties of Silver and Gold Nanocomposites Based on Potato Starch in Distilled and Cold Plasma-Treated Water

Nanometal-containing biocomposites find wide use in many industries and fields of science. The physicochemical properties of these materials depend on the character of the polymer, the size and shape of the metallic nanoparticles, and the interactions between the biopolymer and the nanoparticles. The aim of the work was to synthesise and study the effect of plasma-treated water on the properties of the obtained metallic nanoparticles as well as the physicochemical and functional properties of nanocomposites based on potato starch. The metallic nanoparticles were synthesised within a starch paste made in distilled water and in distilled water exposed to low-temperature, low-pressure plasma. The materials produced were characterised in terms of their physicochemical properties. Studies have shown that gold and silver nanoparticles were successfully obtained in a matrix of potato starch in distilled water and plasma water. SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) images and UV-Vis spectra confirmed the presence of nanosilver and nanosilver in the obtained composites. On the basis of microscopic images, the size of nanoparticles was estimated in the range from 5 to 20 nm for nanoAg and from 15 to 40 nm for nanoAu. The analysis of FTIR-ATR spectra showed that the type of water used and the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles did not lead to changes in the chemical structure of potato starch. DLS analysis showed that the nanoAg obtained in the plasma water-based starch matrix were smaller than the Ag particles obtained using distilled water. Colour analysis showed that the nanocomposites without nanometals were colourless, while those containing nanoAg were yellow, while those with nanoAu were dark purple. This work shows the possibility of using plasma water in the synthesis of nanometals using potato starch, which is a very promising polysaccharide in terms of many potential applications.

Specific Way of Controlling Composition of Cannabinoids and Essential Oil from Cannabis sativa var. Finola

Recently, a series of papers reported preparation and physicochemical properties of various kinds of water treated in contact with various gases with low-temperature, low-pressure glow plasma of low frequency (LPGP). Consecutive papers presented results of watering numerous herbal plants with those kinds of water in planting of numerous herbal plants. Always, the watering influenced the yield and quality of the crops and considerably changed the composition of the essential oils extracted from the watered plants. This paper provides the effects of watering of Cannabis sativum var. Finola with water LPGP-treated either in the air (LPGPA), under molecular nitrogen (LPGPN) or carbon dioxide (LPGPC). Cannabis sativa, particularly its botanic class called hemp, attracts great attention for its numerous applications. They include rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, biofuel and industrial fibre. The watering was maintained for 12 weeks. Regardless of the kind of the used plasma-treated water, a considerable increase in the plant crop yield was noted for first 7 weeks. Further cultivation resulted in a minute increase in the yield. The watering with LPGPC offered the highest crop yield, followed by nontreated water, LPGPN and LPGPA. The yield of essential oil per 1 g of plant was independent of the used kind of plasma-treated water. Watering Finola with LPGPA resulted in a decrease in the level of cannabidivarin (CBD V) and considerable increase in the deal of Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). The levels of the remaining components of the essential oil slightly decreased with respect to that in the control sample. Almost identical trends in the influence of watering upon the composition of essential oil were observed in the case of LPGPN. However, an unusually strong decrease in the level of CBD V accompanied by a very high increase in the level of Δ9-THC could be noted. The performed study provided strong evidence that watering seeds and plants of Finola with various kinds of the LPGP-treated water could modulate and even tailor the crop yield, functional properties of the plant and essential oils extracted from it. The composition of the essential oil isolated from the plant watered with LPGPN suggests its application as a substitute of medical marijuana (medical cannabis).

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.

The Effect of Using Micro-Clustered Water as a Polymer Medium

The aim of the study was to investigate the changes within the physicochemical properties of gelatin, carrageenan, and sodium alginate hydrosols prepared on the basis of micro-clustered (MC) water. The rheological parameters, contact angle and antioxidant activity of hydrosols were investigated. Moreover, the pH, oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured. The hydrosols with MC water were characterized by a lower pH, decreased viscosity, a lower contact angle, and only slightly lower antioxidant activity than control samples. The results showed that hydrosol’s properties are significantly changed by MC water, which can lead to enhancement of its applicability but requires further investigation.

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.