Studying the Physicochemical Properties of Water Activated by Microwave-Induced Plasma Jet for Biological and Medical Applications

Abstract

This work aims to investigate the chemical and physical properties of water activated by a microwave-induced plasma jet in the system. In this work, the activation of water was studied by plasma microwave using argon gas. To study the physical and chemical properties of water, 10 cm³ of distilled water was placed in a container made of glass in the form of a dish with a diameter of 5 cm and a depth of 1 cm. The system operates by microwave, with a sustain voltage to the magnetron of 150 V and exposure times ranging from 1 to 10 min. Underflows of 0.7, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.1 l/min of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species types were measured using kits purchased from an American manufacturer, Bartovation, for this purpose. The results showed the concentrations of NO₂, NO₃, and H₂O₂, increasing with time as well as with the flow rate. With the exposure time, the pH decreases until it reaches 4, and the temperature increases until it reaches 37.2°C; however, the pH increases with the storage time, and the water reaches its natural state with a pH of 7 after 24 h of storage. The concentration of NO₂ and NO₃ increases slightly, and after 6 h, it begins to decrease exponentially, reaching  a value  close  to  zero after  the  passage  of 24 h. From that, it can be concluded that the microwave-induced plasma jet system can produce reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, which can be used for biological applications.