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November 13-14, 2017 Paris, France
5
th
International Conference on
PLASMA CHEMISTRY AND
PLASMA PROCESSING
Journal of Biotechnology and Phytochemistry
Volume 1, Issue 2
Plasma Chemistry 2017
Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP): Effect on
human lice and applicability for pediculosis treatment
Lars ten Bosch
1
, Birgit Habedank
2
and
Wolfgang Viöl1
3
1
HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Germany
2
Umweltbundesamt, Germany
3
Fraunhofer IST Application Centre, Germany
E
very household can easily be struck by an infestation of head
lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) regardless of its tidiness and
personal hygiene. Especially, children and people spending a lot
of time or are working in strongly populated environments are
vulnerable to this infestation. When it comes to an infestation
with head lice (Pedicuclus humanus capitis) most of the applied
remedies available on the marked work with different insecticides
such as lindane, malathion or permethrin. These are known to
display toxic side and their provocation of resistances, as already
build up by some populations. Results fromdifferent experiments
concerned with possible and useful applications of CAP against
pest insects led to the development of an alternative pediculosis
treatment method based on the principle of a dielectric barrier
discharge. This method can give non-toxic, insecticide-free
and environmentally friendly alternative to existing pediculosis
remedies. Based on a capacitively coupled setup, a comb-like
electrode construction was chosen to ignite the plasma near to
the scalp. To treat the complete volume of the hair, an electrode
form was build that is not adapted to the heads contour, thus
allowing the simultaneous treatment of scalp and hair in different
distances from the scalp. We present the results of preliminary
study conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. The
presented experiments consider results of the treatment of adults,
nymphs and eggs of Pediculus humanus bred by the German
Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) in Berlin. The plasma
comb was scoured through human hair strands infested with the
lice stages at s/cm for one single transition. The treated lice were
observed up to 48 h and eggs until 15 days after egg deposition.
Furthermore, the efficacy was examined under ideal conditions
by introducing single adult lice directly to the plasma exhibiting
a mortality rate of 100% within 24 h. Observing the perishing
process of the individuals under investigation it seems probable
that the presumed mode of action is resulting mainly through
presence of fast electric fields/dielectric heating.
Biography
Lars ten Bosch is pursuing his PhD at Clausthal University of Technology. His
thesis is concerned with the possibilities that atmospheric pressure plasma is
offering within the fields of plasma pest management and plasma agriculture,
as well as plasma medicine. Currently, he is a project manager and research
scientist for the main research: “Plasma based pest management in everyday
life”. He has published one article, six poster presentations and two patents and
has been serving as a reviewer for the American Chemical Society.
lars.bosch@hawk-hhg.deLars ten Bosch et al., J Biot Phyt 2017