[Sterilization by the plasma procedure].

Plasma sterilisation of heat sensitive materials appears as an attractive substitute for ethylene oxide processing which leaves adsorbed toxic residues. In oxygen-based plasmas, the de-activation of pathogenic organisms is assumed to be due to their slow combustion with the active species which produces CO2 and H2O. In the absence of ion bombardment, the concentration of oxygen atoms is an important parameter entering the plasma sterilisation efficiency. Means for achieving high production of oxygen atoms are reviewed and discussed. In particular, an initial improvement would be to generate the plasma in the sterilisation volume itself. Uniform plasma excitation at electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) which allows resonant coupling in the whole treatment volume (no shadowing) and requires reduced electric fields to sustain the discharge (no heating of biomaterials) is particularly adapted to this purpose.