Compact cold atmospheric pressure plasma cleaner suited for inhibiting bacterial biodeteriogens from paper archives

Cultural heritage conservation extends beyond individual interests, therefore preserving patrimony artworks is a timeless endeavor. This study proposes cold atmospheric plasma as a suitable method for the treatment of paper, deteriorated by cellulolytic bacteria. Three distinct methods of treating Bacillus velezensis isolated herein from an artificially deteriorated book were applied using cold atmospheric plasma. Bacteria were cultivated on membranes, in liquid media, and directly on paper. When used for five minutes at a power of 50 W and a current density of 12 mA/cm 2 , the designed cold atmospheric plasma device proved successful in preventing bacterial growth and spore formation. B. velezensis spore generation is a rare mechanism that has never been observed within these circumstances before. Moreover, the cold atmospheric plasma device can suppress the development of cellulolytic bacteria without damaging the paper substrate, which is a significant step in the preservation of patrimony artworks.& COPY; 2023 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.