Work

Making waves: Cold plasma at the frontline of pathogen and pollutant control

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cold plasma (CP) is emerging as a powerful tool for water and wastewater treatment, capable of inactivating pathogens, mitigating antimicrobial resistance, and degrading persistent pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), endocrine disruptors, and PFASs. Although often criticized for limited scalability, recent advances—including modular reactor designs, thin-film and microbubble systems, and integration with renewable energy—are steadily addressing these challenges. Rather than a fully developed solution, CP should be seen as a high-potential technology undergoing a critical transition toward field readiness. This Perspective argues that dismissing CP at this stage would be short-sighted. With targeted investment and interdisciplinary collaboration, CP could become a transformative option for safe water reuse and chemical pollution control in a world facing rising contamination and scarcity.

Source: Water Research X

DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2025.100453

Authors: João Pequeno, Joana Antunes, Davor Kržišnik, Tom Koritnik, Sebastian Dahle, José Gonçalves

Institutions: Universidade Nova de Lisboa, University of Ljubljana, National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food

Language: English

Topic: Plasma Applications and Diagnostics

Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,943