Non-thermal disinfection of biological fluids using non-thermal plasma
AssigneeRegents of the University of Minnesota
InventorsR. Roger Ruan, Hongbin Ma, Paul L. Chen, Shaobo Deng, Xiangyang Lin, Duane P.M. Oyen, Robert J. Bowman
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for at least partially disinfecting biological fluid of a mammal, which comprises pathogens in addition to normal cellular fractions. The method includes placing the biological fluid in a reaction volume and contacting a non-thermal plasma with the biological fluid to thereby kill at least a portion of the pathogens within the biological fluid.
Claims29
A method of at least partially disinfecting biological fluid of a mammal, which comprises pathogens, the method comprising:
- (a) dispersing the biological fluid in a gas or dispersing the gas in the biological fluid to form a liguid-gas mixture;
- and
- (b) contacting a non-thermal plasma with the liquid-gas mixture within a reaction volume to kill at least a portion of the pathogens within the biological fluid.
A circulating blood disinfection apparatus for at least partially disinfecting blood of a mammal, the apparatus comprising:
- a first shunt for coupling to a circulatory system of the mammal and having a blood outlet;
- a second shunt for coupling to the circulatory system of the mammal and having a blood inlet;
- an inlet path coupled to the blood outlet of the first shunt for carrying the blood to be disinfected;
- an outlet path coupled to the blood inlet of the second shunt for returning the blood to the mammal;
- a non-thermal plasma reactor comprising an inlet coupled to the inlet path, an outlet coupled to the outlet path, first and second electrodes, at least one dielectric barrier between the first and second electrodes, and a reaction volume between the first and second electrodes, wherein the reaction volume is coupled to the inlet and the outlet;
- and
- a filter in the outlet path, which filters toxins having selected sizes from larger components of the blood.
A probe for insertion into a mammal, the probe comprising:
- a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;
- an inlet and an outlet positioned along the shaft;
- and
- a non-thermal plasma reactor carried along the shaft and comprising first and second electrodes, at least one dielectric barrier between the first and second electrodes, and a reaction volume between the first and second electrodes, wherein the reaction volume is coupled to the inlet and the outlet.
A biological fluid treatment apparatus comprising:
- a biological fluid input for receiving biological fluid of a mammal, which comprises pathogens in the biological fluid;
- means for introducing gas bubbles into the biological fluid received from the biological fluid input to produce a mixture of the biological fluid and the gas bubbles;
- non-thermal plasma reactor means for receiving the mixture of the biological fluid and the gas bubbles within a reaction volume and for generating a non-thermal plasma within the reaction volume to thereby kill at least a portion of the pathogens within the biological fluid;
- and
- a gas-liquid separator coupled to an output of the reactor means for separating the gas bubbles from the biological fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.