Page 147 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

to an equipped laboratory is not available, such as improved our fundamental knowledge and provided
in ambulances, emergency situations, developing tremendous insights in complex plasma research and
countries, remote locations, or at a patient’s bedside. how we can control complex plasmas (i.e., plasmas
The disposable cartridge is created using 3-D printing mixed with fine particles). The weightless environment
technology, which further expands its potential value is ideal for this area of research by allowing astronauts
in nontraditional settings. to produce macroscopic analogues of atomic structure
The project was supported by the Italian Space in gases and liquids and observe phase transitions
Agency (ASI) and by experiments conducted using such as melting or freezing.
ASI resources onboard the space station. A DC plasma source was specifically designed
The cartridge reader remains onboard the space for space research into complex plasma and is
station, making it possible to prepare and deliver incorporated in the ESA/ROSCOSMOS PK-4
cartridges that are modified for other analyses. instrument currently on the ISS. On Earth, the resulting
A potential improvement would be substituting a increased know-how in plasma technology has allowed
smartphone or tablet for the reader by using existing the further development of different applications.
camera technology in these devices to acquire a Because plasma is a charged gas, it can permeate
chemi-luminescent signal and a dedicated app for many materials, and spreads evenly and quickly. It can
results output. disinfect surfaces, and has been proven to neutralize
drug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant
The potential advantages of this device are definitely Staphylococcus aureus within seconds. In addition to
worth salivating over. bacteria, cold plasmas have the properties needed to
safely and efficiently inactivate fungi, viruses, spores
and odor molecules. In more than 3,500 examples in
Cold Plasmas Assist in Wound Healing several clinical trials, physicians found plasmas can
In recent years, health experts have seen a dramatic disinfect chronic wounds and help wounds heal faster.
rise in super-strains of bacteria that can survive the This revolution in healthcare has many application
strongest antibiotics in medicine’s arsenal. Technology areas: medical technology, water treatment, odor
developed for performing research on the ISS has management and hygiene.
helped develop plasma-based devices to fight Submarine crews and staff working in isolation for long
superbugs on Earth. periods could also benefit from cold plasma treatments.
Cold plasma therapy provides a new way to keep
hospital patients safe from infections. This technology
spin-off from space hardware knocks out bacteria
without damaging human tissue, thereby accelerating
the process of wound healing. Cold plasma has many
practical applications—from food hygiene, to treatment
of different kinds of skin diseases, to the purification of
water in developing regions. Fundamental research in
orbit led to the miniaturization of devices that can be
operated at room temperature.
Complex plasma research has been taking place
onboard the ISS since 2001. This research has

Technology developed for performing Side view of a plasma crystal in the laboratory.

research on the ISS has helped Dust particles are suspended in an argon plasma
develop plasma-based devices above a high-frequency electrode (bottom).
The horizontal field of view is 2 cm.
to fight superbugs on Earth. Image credit: Max Planck Institute for
Extraterrestrial Physics

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