Georg Avramidis | HAWK Hildesheim (original) (raw)
Papers by Georg Avramidis
Pathogens
During machine milking, pathogenic microorganisms can be transmitted from cow to cow through line... more During machine milking, pathogenic microorganisms can be transmitted from cow to cow through liners. Therefore, in Germany, a spray method for the intermediate disinfection of the milking cluster is often used for prevention. This method of cluster disinfection is easy to perform, requires little time and no extra materials, and the disinfection solution is safe from outside contamination in the spray bottle. Since no data on a systematic efficacy trial are available, the aim of this study was to determine the microbial reduction effect of intermediate disinfection. Therefore, laboratory and field trials were conducted. In both trials, two sprays of 0.85 mL per burst of different disinfectant solutions were sprayed into the contaminated liners. For sampling, a quantitative swabbing method using a modified wet–dry swab (WDS) technique based on DIN 10113-1: 1997-07 was applied. Thus, the effectiveness of disinfectants based on Peracetic Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide and Plasma-Activated Buf...
Foods
Foodborne diseases are mainly caused by the contamination of meat or meat products with pathogeni... more Foodborne diseases are mainly caused by the contamination of meat or meat products with pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, we first investigated the in vitro application of TRIS-buffered plasma-activated water (Tb-PAW) on Campylobacter (C.) jejuni and Escherichia (E.) coli, with a reduction of approx. 4.20 ± 0.68 and 5.12 ± 0.46 log10 CFU/mL. Furthermore, chicken and duck thighs (inoculated with C. jejuni or E. coli) and breasts (with natural microflora) with skin were sprayed with Tb-PAW. Samples were packed under a modified atmosphere and stored at 4 °C for 0, 7, and 14 days. The Tb-PAW could reduce C. jejuni on days 7 and 14 (chicken) and E. coli on day 14 (duck) significantly. In chicken, there were no significant differences in sensory, pH-value, color, and antioxidant activity, but %OxyMb levels decreased, whereas %MetMb and %DeoMb increased. In duck, we observed slight differences in pH-value, color, and myoglobin redox forms for the Tb-PAW, which were not perceived by...
Applied Sciences
Bovine digital dermatitis is an important infectious claw disease caused by multimicrobial infect... more Bovine digital dermatitis is an important infectious claw disease caused by multimicrobial infections with bacteria such as Fusobacterium (F.) necrophorum or Porphyromonas (P.) levii. To analyze the antibacterial effects of a TRIS-buffered plasma-activated water (Tb-PAW) on the bacterial number of F. necrophorum, P. levii, Escherichia (E.) coli, Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and Clostridium (C.) sporogenes 1 mL of each bacterial solution (106–108 CFU/mL) was incubated with 9 mL Tb-PAW up to 15 min. E. coli, F. necrophorum and P. levii were significantly reduced by 5.0 log after 1 min of treatment, while S. aureus and C. sporogenes required 15 min to reach a 3.0 log reduction. The addition of bovine serum albumin did not negatively affect the bactericidal effect. Tb-PAW storage at 7 °C and 21 °C is possible for up to 24 h without any change in the bactericidal effect, while Tb-PAW stored at 30 °C can only be used for a period of 12 h. The present data indicate that Tb-PAW can be used to...
Foods
When exposing food and feedstuff to cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAPP), e.g., for decontami... more When exposing food and feedstuff to cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAPP), e.g., for decontamination purposes, possible unwanted effects on the contained nutrients might occur. In the present study, we thus concentrated on CAPP-induced degrading effects on different sugars, namely glucose and sucrose. The treatments were performed using admixtures of argon and synthetic air over durations of up to 12min. Continuous degradation of sucrose and glucose was determined using ATR-FTIR and XPS analyses. OH stretching bands showed notable broadening in the ATR-FTIR spectra, which possibly indicates reduced crystallinity of the sugars caused by the CAPP treatment. In the fingerprint regions, most bands, especially the more intense C-O bands, showed decreases in peak heights. In addition, two new bands occurred after CAPP treatment. The bands were detectable in the range between 1800 and 1600cm−1 and potentially can be assigned to C=C and, after comparison with the results of the XPS measu...
<strong>Abstract</strong><br> The use of wood-based materials in building and c... more <strong>Abstract</strong><br> The use of wood-based materials in building and construction is constantly increasing as environmental aspects and sustainability gain importance. For structural applications, however, there are many examples where hybrid material systems are needed to fulfil the specific mechanical requirements of the individual application. In particular, metal reinforcements are a common solution to enhance the mechanical properties of a wooden structural element. Metal-reinforced wood components further help to reduce cross-sectional sizes of load-bearing structures, improve the attachment of masonry or other materials, enhance the seismic safety and tremor dissipation capacity, as well as the durability of the structural elements in highly humid environments and under high permanent mechanical load. A critical factor to achieve these benefits, however, is the mechanical joint between the different material classes, namely the wood and metal parts. Currently, this joint is formed using epoxy or polyurethane (PU) adhesives, the former yielding highest mechanical strengths, whereas the latter presents a compromise between mechanical and economical constraints. Regarding sustainability and economic viability, the utilization of different adhesive systems would be preferable, whereas mechanical stabilities yielded for metal-wood joints do not permit for the use of other common adhesive systems in such structural applications.<br> This study extends previous research on the use of non-thermal air plasma pretreatments for the formation of wood-metal joints. The plasma treatments of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) wood and anodized (E6/EV1) aluminum AlMgSi0.5 (6060) F22 were optimized, using water contact angle measurements to determine the effect and homogeneity of plasma treatments. The adhesive bond strengths of plasma-pretreated and untreated specimens were tested with commercial 2-component epoxy, PU, melamine-urea formaldehyde (MUF), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), and construction adhesive glue [...]
The use of wood-based materials in building and construction is constantly increasing as environm... more The use of wood-based materials in building and construction is constantly increasing as environmental aspects and sustainability gain importance. For structural applications, however, there are many examples where hybrid material systems are needed to fulfil the specific mechanical requirements of the individual application. In particular, metal reinforcements are a common solution to enhance the mechanical properties of a wooden structural element. Metal-reinforced wood components further help to reduce cross-sectional sizes of load-bearing structures, improve the attachment of masonry or other materials, enhance the seismic safety and tremor dissipation capacity, as well as the durability of the structural elements in highly humid environments and under high permanent mechanical load. A critical factor to achieve these benefits, however, is the mechanical joint between the different material classes, namely the wood and metal parts. Currently, this joint is formed using epoxy or ...
Die Beschichtung von Holz und Holzwerkstoffen mit Farben und Lacken wird einerseits aus ästhetisc... more Die Beschichtung von Holz und Holzwerkstoffen mit Farben und Lacken wird einerseits aus ästhetischen Gründen genutzt, andererseits haben diese Beschichtungen die Aufgabe, das Eindringen von Wasser oder Feuchtigkeit allgemein zu verhindern, um vorzeitigem biologischen oder witterungsbedingtem Abbau des Holzes vorzubeugen. Diese Beschichtungen zeigen oft Mängel in der Adhäsion, deshalb ist eine Vorbehandlung (Schleifen, Auftrag von Primern) der Holz- oder Holzwerkstoffoberflächen notwendig. In der kunststoffverarbeitenden Industrie ist die Anwendung von Gasentladungen (Plasmen) zur Verbesserung der Haft-Eigenschaften von Polymeroberflächen schon seit Jahrzehnten eine gebräuchliche Methode. Neuere Forschungsarbeiten zeigen, dass die Applikation von Plasmen auf Holz- und Holzwerkstoffoberflächen eine innovative Vorbehandlungsmethode zur Haftungsverbesserung von Klebstoffen und Lacken bzw. zur verbesserten Aufnahme von Adhäsiven darstellt. Oberflächenenergetische Untersuchungen demonstri...
International Wood Products Journal, 2016
This study addresses the question of whether the extractives or the main components of wood are r... more This study addresses the question of whether the extractives or the main components of wood are responsible for the alterations in surface energy after air-plasma treatment. For this purpose, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was carried out on untreated, microtomed and air-plasma-modified beech wood surfaces. A dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure was used for plasma modification. The results indicate that air-plasma treatment affects the O/C-ratio and surface energy characteristics of wood surfaces by oxidative alteration and exposition of the wood main components.
European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 2015
This study investigated the effect of a plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure on the absorptio... more This study investigated the effect of a plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure on the absorption characteristics of beech veneers by using a dielectric barrier discharge on the DMDHEU (1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea). Immersion tests with varying immersion durations showed that plasma treatment significantly accelerated the DMDHEU-solution uptake of the veneers. Additionally, improved bulking characteristics were observed for plasma-treated and DMDHEU-immersed veneers.
Surface and Coatings Technology, 2014
ABSTRACT Beech wood veneers were plasma treated by a dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric ... more ABSTRACT Beech wood veneers were plasma treated by a dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure using compressed air as process gas. Treatment duration was kept constant, whereas the injected discharge power was varied. Subsequently the veneers were milled down to the veneer's half diameter in order to investigate plasma-induced effects within the bulk material. When increasing the discharge power, lowered water contact angle, decreased pH-value as well as increased nitrate content were observed for the bulk of the veneers. Further, XPS-analysis indicated oxidizing effects within the investigated plasma-treated samples. Electrical breakdown inside cavities within the wood bulk material (e.g. vessel elements) was proposed to explain experimental results.
The chemical properties are essential for the adhesion characteristics of wooden surfaces. Modify... more The chemical properties are essential for the adhesion characteristics of wooden surfaces. Modifying these properties might help to improve the setting behaviour. Against this background, a modification method based on dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure was investigated. Depending on the treatment duration, the change of pH-value and nitrate concentration has been measured on planed surfaces of beech and spruce. The measurement of the pH-value with a surface glass electrode showed a significant decrease with higher treatment duration. Since air plasmas are known to create nitrogen oxides, the formation of nitrates is one possible explanation for the decrease in the pH-value. Therefore, the nitrate concentration was tested with a reflectometer combined with test strips and this measurement also reveals a clear dependency on the treatment duration. Such modification of wood surfaces and its time-dependency show the opportunity to improve the setting behaviour ...
Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites, Second Edition, 2012
European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 2011
ABSTRACT In this study the effect of an atmospheric pressure plasma treatment by a dielectric bar... more ABSTRACT In this study the effect of an atmospheric pressure plasma treatment by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) on the wettability and absorption characteristics of thermally modified beech veneer is investigated. A common immersion test using water and melamine solution has been conducted and showed improved wettability and liquid uptake after plasma treatment. Determination of the weight percent gain (WPG) confirmed increased melamine content after plasma treatment.
Toxins, 2017
The efficacy of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) with ambient air as working gas for the d... more The efficacy of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) with ambient air as working gas for the degradation of selected mycotoxins was studied. Deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, enniatins, fumonisin B1, and T2 toxin produced by Fusarium spp., sterigmatocystin produced by Aspergillus spp. and AAL toxin produced by Alternaria alternata were used. The kinetics of the decay of mycotoxins exposed to plasma discharge was monitored. All pure mycotoxins exposed to CAPP were degraded almost completely within 60 s. Degradation rates varied with mycotoxin structure: fumonisin B1 and structurally related AAL toxin were degraded most rapidly while sterigmatocystin exhibited the highest resistance to degradation. As compared to pure compounds, the degradation rates of mycotoxins embedded in extracts of fungal cultures on rice were reduced to a varying extent. Our results show that CAPP efficiently degrades pure mycotoxins, the degradation rates vary with mycotoxin structure, and the presence of matrix slows down yet does not prevent the degradation. CAPP appears promising for the decontamination of food commodities with mycotoxins confined to or enriched on surfaces such as cereal grains.
Holzforschung, 2014
Spruce wood surfaces were treated with plasma with the aim of increacing either hydrophilicity or... more Spruce wood surfaces were treated with plasma with the aim of increacing either hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity. The treatments resulted in significant changes in wettability compared to aged and reference samples. Wettability was found to be a very good indicator of macroscopic bond strength. Nanoindentation adhesion measurements identified significant changes in adhesion at the immediate wood surface as a primary source of changes of bond performance, whereas mechanical performance of bulk wood cells was not affected.
On September 30th, the First Slovene Plasma Day took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This dataset c... more On September 30th, the First Slovene Plasma Day took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This dataset contains the program, abstracts, and the three presentations that were given during the day. A video summary is available online via: https://youtu.be/4a9kUy-WbG0
Wood Research, 2009
In this study, the drying behaviour of a polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesive and an emulsion polyme... more In this study, the drying behaviour of a polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesive and an emulsion polymer isocyanate adhesive on particle board and heat-treated beech wood in untreated and plasma-treated (by a dielectric barrier discharge at standard atmospheric pressure) state was investigated. Shear strength tests were performed to monitor the increase in bonding strength during the drying process. Th e results show an accelerated increase in bonding strength of PVAcglued particle boards after plasma treatment, but no change in the drying characteristics of heattreated beech wood was found.
A seed treatment (3) with a physical plasma is carried out in a treatment chamber (4) in which th... more A seed treatment (3) with a physical plasma is carried out in a treatment chamber (4) in which there is atmospheric pressure.
Pathogens
During machine milking, pathogenic microorganisms can be transmitted from cow to cow through line... more During machine milking, pathogenic microorganisms can be transmitted from cow to cow through liners. Therefore, in Germany, a spray method for the intermediate disinfection of the milking cluster is often used for prevention. This method of cluster disinfection is easy to perform, requires little time and no extra materials, and the disinfection solution is safe from outside contamination in the spray bottle. Since no data on a systematic efficacy trial are available, the aim of this study was to determine the microbial reduction effect of intermediate disinfection. Therefore, laboratory and field trials were conducted. In both trials, two sprays of 0.85 mL per burst of different disinfectant solutions were sprayed into the contaminated liners. For sampling, a quantitative swabbing method using a modified wet–dry swab (WDS) technique based on DIN 10113-1: 1997-07 was applied. Thus, the effectiveness of disinfectants based on Peracetic Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide and Plasma-Activated Buf...
Foods
Foodborne diseases are mainly caused by the contamination of meat or meat products with pathogeni... more Foodborne diseases are mainly caused by the contamination of meat or meat products with pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, we first investigated the in vitro application of TRIS-buffered plasma-activated water (Tb-PAW) on Campylobacter (C.) jejuni and Escherichia (E.) coli, with a reduction of approx. 4.20 ± 0.68 and 5.12 ± 0.46 log10 CFU/mL. Furthermore, chicken and duck thighs (inoculated with C. jejuni or E. coli) and breasts (with natural microflora) with skin were sprayed with Tb-PAW. Samples were packed under a modified atmosphere and stored at 4 °C for 0, 7, and 14 days. The Tb-PAW could reduce C. jejuni on days 7 and 14 (chicken) and E. coli on day 14 (duck) significantly. In chicken, there were no significant differences in sensory, pH-value, color, and antioxidant activity, but %OxyMb levels decreased, whereas %MetMb and %DeoMb increased. In duck, we observed slight differences in pH-value, color, and myoglobin redox forms for the Tb-PAW, which were not perceived by...
Applied Sciences
Bovine digital dermatitis is an important infectious claw disease caused by multimicrobial infect... more Bovine digital dermatitis is an important infectious claw disease caused by multimicrobial infections with bacteria such as Fusobacterium (F.) necrophorum or Porphyromonas (P.) levii. To analyze the antibacterial effects of a TRIS-buffered plasma-activated water (Tb-PAW) on the bacterial number of F. necrophorum, P. levii, Escherichia (E.) coli, Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and Clostridium (C.) sporogenes 1 mL of each bacterial solution (106–108 CFU/mL) was incubated with 9 mL Tb-PAW up to 15 min. E. coli, F. necrophorum and P. levii were significantly reduced by 5.0 log after 1 min of treatment, while S. aureus and C. sporogenes required 15 min to reach a 3.0 log reduction. The addition of bovine serum albumin did not negatively affect the bactericidal effect. Tb-PAW storage at 7 °C and 21 °C is possible for up to 24 h without any change in the bactericidal effect, while Tb-PAW stored at 30 °C can only be used for a period of 12 h. The present data indicate that Tb-PAW can be used to...
Foods
When exposing food and feedstuff to cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAPP), e.g., for decontami... more When exposing food and feedstuff to cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAPP), e.g., for decontamination purposes, possible unwanted effects on the contained nutrients might occur. In the present study, we thus concentrated on CAPP-induced degrading effects on different sugars, namely glucose and sucrose. The treatments were performed using admixtures of argon and synthetic air over durations of up to 12min. Continuous degradation of sucrose and glucose was determined using ATR-FTIR and XPS analyses. OH stretching bands showed notable broadening in the ATR-FTIR spectra, which possibly indicates reduced crystallinity of the sugars caused by the CAPP treatment. In the fingerprint regions, most bands, especially the more intense C-O bands, showed decreases in peak heights. In addition, two new bands occurred after CAPP treatment. The bands were detectable in the range between 1800 and 1600cm−1 and potentially can be assigned to C=C and, after comparison with the results of the XPS measu...
<strong>Abstract</strong><br> The use of wood-based materials in building and c... more <strong>Abstract</strong><br> The use of wood-based materials in building and construction is constantly increasing as environmental aspects and sustainability gain importance. For structural applications, however, there are many examples where hybrid material systems are needed to fulfil the specific mechanical requirements of the individual application. In particular, metal reinforcements are a common solution to enhance the mechanical properties of a wooden structural element. Metal-reinforced wood components further help to reduce cross-sectional sizes of load-bearing structures, improve the attachment of masonry or other materials, enhance the seismic safety and tremor dissipation capacity, as well as the durability of the structural elements in highly humid environments and under high permanent mechanical load. A critical factor to achieve these benefits, however, is the mechanical joint between the different material classes, namely the wood and metal parts. Currently, this joint is formed using epoxy or polyurethane (PU) adhesives, the former yielding highest mechanical strengths, whereas the latter presents a compromise between mechanical and economical constraints. Regarding sustainability and economic viability, the utilization of different adhesive systems would be preferable, whereas mechanical stabilities yielded for metal-wood joints do not permit for the use of other common adhesive systems in such structural applications.<br> This study extends previous research on the use of non-thermal air plasma pretreatments for the formation of wood-metal joints. The plasma treatments of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) wood and anodized (E6/EV1) aluminum AlMgSi0.5 (6060) F22 were optimized, using water contact angle measurements to determine the effect and homogeneity of plasma treatments. The adhesive bond strengths of plasma-pretreated and untreated specimens were tested with commercial 2-component epoxy, PU, melamine-urea formaldehyde (MUF), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), and construction adhesive glue [...]
The use of wood-based materials in building and construction is constantly increasing as environm... more The use of wood-based materials in building and construction is constantly increasing as environmental aspects and sustainability gain importance. For structural applications, however, there are many examples where hybrid material systems are needed to fulfil the specific mechanical requirements of the individual application. In particular, metal reinforcements are a common solution to enhance the mechanical properties of a wooden structural element. Metal-reinforced wood components further help to reduce cross-sectional sizes of load-bearing structures, improve the attachment of masonry or other materials, enhance the seismic safety and tremor dissipation capacity, as well as the durability of the structural elements in highly humid environments and under high permanent mechanical load. A critical factor to achieve these benefits, however, is the mechanical joint between the different material classes, namely the wood and metal parts. Currently, this joint is formed using epoxy or ...
Die Beschichtung von Holz und Holzwerkstoffen mit Farben und Lacken wird einerseits aus ästhetisc... more Die Beschichtung von Holz und Holzwerkstoffen mit Farben und Lacken wird einerseits aus ästhetischen Gründen genutzt, andererseits haben diese Beschichtungen die Aufgabe, das Eindringen von Wasser oder Feuchtigkeit allgemein zu verhindern, um vorzeitigem biologischen oder witterungsbedingtem Abbau des Holzes vorzubeugen. Diese Beschichtungen zeigen oft Mängel in der Adhäsion, deshalb ist eine Vorbehandlung (Schleifen, Auftrag von Primern) der Holz- oder Holzwerkstoffoberflächen notwendig. In der kunststoffverarbeitenden Industrie ist die Anwendung von Gasentladungen (Plasmen) zur Verbesserung der Haft-Eigenschaften von Polymeroberflächen schon seit Jahrzehnten eine gebräuchliche Methode. Neuere Forschungsarbeiten zeigen, dass die Applikation von Plasmen auf Holz- und Holzwerkstoffoberflächen eine innovative Vorbehandlungsmethode zur Haftungsverbesserung von Klebstoffen und Lacken bzw. zur verbesserten Aufnahme von Adhäsiven darstellt. Oberflächenenergetische Untersuchungen demonstri...
International Wood Products Journal, 2016
This study addresses the question of whether the extractives or the main components of wood are r... more This study addresses the question of whether the extractives or the main components of wood are responsible for the alterations in surface energy after air-plasma treatment. For this purpose, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was carried out on untreated, microtomed and air-plasma-modified beech wood surfaces. A dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure was used for plasma modification. The results indicate that air-plasma treatment affects the O/C-ratio and surface energy characteristics of wood surfaces by oxidative alteration and exposition of the wood main components.
European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 2015
This study investigated the effect of a plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure on the absorptio... more This study investigated the effect of a plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure on the absorption characteristics of beech veneers by using a dielectric barrier discharge on the DMDHEU (1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea). Immersion tests with varying immersion durations showed that plasma treatment significantly accelerated the DMDHEU-solution uptake of the veneers. Additionally, improved bulking characteristics were observed for plasma-treated and DMDHEU-immersed veneers.
Surface and Coatings Technology, 2014
ABSTRACT Beech wood veneers were plasma treated by a dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric ... more ABSTRACT Beech wood veneers were plasma treated by a dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure using compressed air as process gas. Treatment duration was kept constant, whereas the injected discharge power was varied. Subsequently the veneers were milled down to the veneer's half diameter in order to investigate plasma-induced effects within the bulk material. When increasing the discharge power, lowered water contact angle, decreased pH-value as well as increased nitrate content were observed for the bulk of the veneers. Further, XPS-analysis indicated oxidizing effects within the investigated plasma-treated samples. Electrical breakdown inside cavities within the wood bulk material (e.g. vessel elements) was proposed to explain experimental results.
The chemical properties are essential for the adhesion characteristics of wooden surfaces. Modify... more The chemical properties are essential for the adhesion characteristics of wooden surfaces. Modifying these properties might help to improve the setting behaviour. Against this background, a modification method based on dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure was investigated. Depending on the treatment duration, the change of pH-value and nitrate concentration has been measured on planed surfaces of beech and spruce. The measurement of the pH-value with a surface glass electrode showed a significant decrease with higher treatment duration. Since air plasmas are known to create nitrogen oxides, the formation of nitrates is one possible explanation for the decrease in the pH-value. Therefore, the nitrate concentration was tested with a reflectometer combined with test strips and this measurement also reveals a clear dependency on the treatment duration. Such modification of wood surfaces and its time-dependency show the opportunity to improve the setting behaviour ...
Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites, Second Edition, 2012
European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 2011
ABSTRACT In this study the effect of an atmospheric pressure plasma treatment by a dielectric bar... more ABSTRACT In this study the effect of an atmospheric pressure plasma treatment by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) on the wettability and absorption characteristics of thermally modified beech veneer is investigated. A common immersion test using water and melamine solution has been conducted and showed improved wettability and liquid uptake after plasma treatment. Determination of the weight percent gain (WPG) confirmed increased melamine content after plasma treatment.
Toxins, 2017
The efficacy of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) with ambient air as working gas for the d... more The efficacy of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) with ambient air as working gas for the degradation of selected mycotoxins was studied. Deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, enniatins, fumonisin B1, and T2 toxin produced by Fusarium spp., sterigmatocystin produced by Aspergillus spp. and AAL toxin produced by Alternaria alternata were used. The kinetics of the decay of mycotoxins exposed to plasma discharge was monitored. All pure mycotoxins exposed to CAPP were degraded almost completely within 60 s. Degradation rates varied with mycotoxin structure: fumonisin B1 and structurally related AAL toxin were degraded most rapidly while sterigmatocystin exhibited the highest resistance to degradation. As compared to pure compounds, the degradation rates of mycotoxins embedded in extracts of fungal cultures on rice were reduced to a varying extent. Our results show that CAPP efficiently degrades pure mycotoxins, the degradation rates vary with mycotoxin structure, and the presence of matrix slows down yet does not prevent the degradation. CAPP appears promising for the decontamination of food commodities with mycotoxins confined to or enriched on surfaces such as cereal grains.
Holzforschung, 2014
Spruce wood surfaces were treated with plasma with the aim of increacing either hydrophilicity or... more Spruce wood surfaces were treated with plasma with the aim of increacing either hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity. The treatments resulted in significant changes in wettability compared to aged and reference samples. Wettability was found to be a very good indicator of macroscopic bond strength. Nanoindentation adhesion measurements identified significant changes in adhesion at the immediate wood surface as a primary source of changes of bond performance, whereas mechanical performance of bulk wood cells was not affected.
On September 30th, the First Slovene Plasma Day took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This dataset c... more On September 30th, the First Slovene Plasma Day took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This dataset contains the program, abstracts, and the three presentations that were given during the day. A video summary is available online via: https://youtu.be/4a9kUy-WbG0
Wood Research, 2009
In this study, the drying behaviour of a polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesive and an emulsion polyme... more In this study, the drying behaviour of a polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesive and an emulsion polymer isocyanate adhesive on particle board and heat-treated beech wood in untreated and plasma-treated (by a dielectric barrier discharge at standard atmospheric pressure) state was investigated. Shear strength tests were performed to monitor the increase in bonding strength during the drying process. Th e results show an accelerated increase in bonding strength of PVAcglued particle boards after plasma treatment, but no change in the drying characteristics of heattreated beech wood was found.
A seed treatment (3) with a physical plasma is carried out in a treatment chamber (4) in which th... more A seed treatment (3) with a physical plasma is carried out in a treatment chamber (4) in which there is atmospheric pressure.