Cold plasma to eliminate viral diseases in swine industry
The University of Michigan has developed a cold plasma reactor capable of inactivating, in a fraction of a second, a virus that causes one of the most problematic diseases for the swine industry. This is the first cold plasma study to eradicate an airborne virus that affects and causes illnesses in animals. During the laboratory tests, the cold plasma reactor was used and it was observed that, by irradiating the air circulation containing the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus ( PRRSv ) with fragments of charged and highly reactive molecules, the viruses were inactivated up to 95% or eliminated during treatment. According to experts, this number is likely to improve with readjustments in the reactor, since this disease (PRRSv) causes large losses –around 650 million dollars– to the pork meat industry in the United States each year and investing in research makes perfect sense. Herek Clark , professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan,
