Fungal decontamination by cold plasma : an innovating process for wood treatment

Cold plasma technology offers an environmental alte rnative method to decontaminate wood surfaces, over the conventional methods such as biocides applications. Decontamination effect of plasma discharge is eval uated on a blue-stain fungi Aureobasidium pullulans , responsible for bluish discoloration of wood mate rial causing esthetical and economical damages. Several gas mixt ures and time exposure were assessed. These results suggest that fungal spores are inactivated after an aftergl ow exposure of 15 minutes,.