Cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization in 2026: overview
Cold plasma is an ionized gas that produces reactive species capable of damaging microbes without relying on high temperatures. That makes it a candidate for heat-sensitive instruments, surfaces and healthcare environments where conventional sterilization may be unsuitable. The practical challenge is delivering a reliable dose across complex shapes, wet surfaces or moving air while limiting material damage and confirming that pathogens do not recover after treatment. Performance depends on the plasma source and the target environment, so results from one setup may not transfer directly to another.
In August 2026, Zhejiang University researchers evaluated non-thermal plasma for indoor-air disinfection and particulate reduction, while Western University studied dielectric-barrier-discharge treatment on hydrated gel surfaces, including post-treatment regrowth. In July 2026, Islamic Azad University and the University of Louisville published a systematic review of cold atmospheric plasma against MRSA biofilms. These studies bring deployment questions into focus: how well reactive species reach protected microbes, how treatment performs in real airflow or on wet surfaces, and whether antimicrobial activity persists. Plasma-activated liquids and remote afterglow are gaining research momentum, while consistent performance and device-level validation remain open challenges.
- 1From source to surface: The field is comparing direct plasma treatment with liquids and remote afterglow to reach microbes across different surfaces and environments.
- 2Air moves into focus: Recent indoor-air studies pair microbial disinfection with particulate reduction, but real-world airflow and performance measurement remain important tests.
- 3Validation remains central: Biofilm and hydrated-surface research highlights the need to measure regrowth and material effects, not just immediate microbial inactivation.
Top organizations working on cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization. Showing 7 of 284 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Xi'an Jiaotong University
Research · China |
Plasma-activated liquids | PUB 15 · NEWS 8 | +88% | Research examines plasma-activated water for microbial inactivation, including energy-efficient generation and control of its reactive chemistry, as well as discharge-device sterilization performance. |
| 2 | 
Zhejiang University
Research · China |
Dielectric barrier discharge | PUB 13 · NEWS 1 | +80% | Recently, researchers evaluated non-thermal plasma for indoor-air disinfection and particulate reduction; other work examines dielectric-barrier-discharge systems for microbial decontamination. |
| 3 | 
Islamic Azad University
Research · Iran |
General | PUB 13 | -14% | Research reviews cold atmospheric plasma against MRSA biofilms and its interactions with oral and dental tissues, relevant to antimicrobial treatment in healthcare settings. |
| 4 | 
Comenius University
Research · Slovakia |
Dielectric barrier discharge | PUB 11 | +75% | Recently, researchers evaluated an indoor-air treatment system combining dielectric barrier discharge, UV-C, and photocatalysis. Other work investigates plasma eradication of bacterial biofilms. |
| 5 | 
Brno University of Technology
Research · Czech Republic |
Atmospheric-pressure plasma jets | PUB 9 | new | Research examines cold-plasma surface treatment against Staphylococcus epidermidis and E. coli, as well as antimicrobial plasma jets for wound-healing applications. |
| 6 | 
University of the West of England
Research · United Kingdom |
General | PUB 7 | new | Research investigates direct application of non-thermal plasma to eliminate biofilms from endoscope channels, targeting contamination in reusable medical devices. |
| 7 | 
Insightace Analytic
Startup · India |
General | NEWS 13 | new | |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Leading research centers
Leading research institutions 260 total
- Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityChinaResearch examines plasma-activated water for microbial inactivation, including energy-efficient generation and control of its reactive chemistry, as well as discharge-device sterilization performance.
- Zhejiang UniversityChinaRecently, researchers evaluated non-thermal plasma for indoor-air disinfection and particulate reduction; other work examines dielectric-barrier-discharge systems for microbial decontamination.
- Islamic Azad UniversityIranResearch reviews cold atmospheric plasma against MRSA biofilms and its interactions with oral and dental tissues, relevant to antimicrobial treatment in healthcare settings.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 284 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-pressure chamber systems | Enclosed chambers treat instruments under reduced pressure; they support controlled batch processing but require vacuum equipment and impose chamber-size limits. | 105 |
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, TOMI Environmental Solutions, Wmr |
| Atmospheric-pressure plasma jets | Jets deliver plasma directly to targeted areas without a vacuum chamber, but coverage and dose can be difficult to keep uniform. | 73 |
Brno University of Technology, National University of Malaysia, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute MARDI |
| Dielectric barrier discharge | Electrode-driven discharges treat surfaces or air at atmospheric pressure, while performance depends on geometry, spacing and treatment uniformity. | 151 |
Islamic Azad University, University of Bologna, Western University |
| Plasma-activated liquids | Plasma-generated reactive chemistry is carried in a liquid for broader contact, but its composition and antimicrobial persistence can vary. | 166 |
Xi'an Jiaotong University, South China University of Technology, Uttaranchal University |
| Remote plasma and afterglow | Reactive species travel from the discharge to the target, reducing direct exposure to plasma but losing activity as they move. | 161 |
Xi'an Jiaotong University, Zhejiang University, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Recorded grants total $14,362,155 across 17 awards since 2020. This figure reflects the funding data associated with the field, not necessarily funding dedicated exclusively to hospital sterilization.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Sep 2026Dublin, Sept. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Cold Plasma Market - Global Forecast 2026-2032" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Cold Plasma Market research report provides strategic analysis of a…GlobeNewswire - Research Analysis And Reports
- May 2026Establishes domestic platform in advanced graphite, addressing a multi-billion-dollar end market underpinned by U.S. supply-chain reshoring and next-generation nuclear deployment TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc. and…GlobeNewswire: News from United States
- Apr 2026FREDERICK, Md., April 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc.® (Nasdaq: TOMZ) (“TOMI” or the “Company”) today announced that it has executed a non-binding letter of intent (the “LOI”) to merge…GlobeNewswire - Mergers And Acquisitions
- Apr 2026FREDERICK, Md., April 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc.® (“TOMI”) (NASDAQ: TOMZ), a global leader in disinfection and decontamination solutions is pleased to announce that its preliminary…GlobeNewswire - News about Public Companies
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization
Which companies are working on cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization?
The data list 24 companies and name TOMI Environmental Solutions, STERIS, Nordson and Adtec Plasma Technology among relevant commercial organizations. Patent and application listings also identify Wmr and Insightace Analytic. The available information does not establish that each organization sells a hospital-ready cold-plasma sterilization product, so product availability and intended use should be checked directly.
Which universities and research centers lead cold plasma research for infection control?
Xi'an Jiaotong University leads the listed recent research activity with 23 documents in the window, followed by Zhejiang University with 14. Islamic Azad University, Comenius University and Brno University of Technology also appear among active research organizations. Their work spans plasma-activated liquids, indoor-air treatment, biofilms and plasma jets.
How much funding has cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization received?
The data record $14,362,155 in grants across 17 awards since 2020. This is the available grant total associated with the field and may include work beyond hospital infection control and sterilization. The funding-round entries are not a clean measure of dedicated investment in this application, so the grant figure is the more useful indicator here.
Who holds the most cold plasma sterilization patents, and is patent activity growing?
TOMI Environmental Solutions holds the most listed patents, with 3. The current 24-month window contains 16 patents, and patent growth is -66.7% for the last 12 months versus the previous 12 months. University of Reims Champagne Ardenne and AURORA are also listed, with 2 patents each.
How mature is cold plasma for hospital infection control and sterilization?
The field remains research-led: the data list 260 research organizations and 24 companies, alongside 7 clinical trials overall. Recent studies investigate air, hydrated surfaces and biofilms, but these results do not by themselves establish routine hospital use. Readiness depends on demonstrating repeatable microbial inactivation, material compatibility and safe operation for each device or environment.
What are the latest developments in cold plasma infection control?
Recent work includes Zhejiang University’s indoor-air disinfection and particulate-reduction study in August 2026, Western University’s study of dielectric-barrier-discharge treatment on hydrated gel surfaces in August 2026, and an MRSA biofilm review from Islamic Azad University and the University of Louisville in July 2026. Together, they focus attention on air treatment, regrowth and biofilm control.
What are the main approaches, and how do they differ?
The main approaches are low-pressure chamber systems, atmospheric-pressure plasma jets, dielectric barrier discharge, plasma-activated liquids, and remote plasma or afterglow. Chambers enclose instruments; jets target localized areas; dielectric barrier discharge treats surfaces or air; activated liquids carry reactive chemistry; and afterglow delivers reactive species away from the discharge. Their trade-offs include reach, uniformity, equipment needs and species persistence.
Which countries lead cold plasma research for infection control and sterilization?
The United States leads the listed country activity with 763 documents, followed by China with 582 and Germany with 323. India and Japan also have substantial activity, with 284 and 231 documents respectively. These figures describe the country distribution of documents associated with the topic, not the location of commercial deployments.
What are the applications of cold plasma in healthcare?
The listed applications are reusable medical instruments, endoscope reprocessing, clinical surfaces and rooms, healthcare air and aerosols, and PPE and healthcare textiles. Reusable instruments have 54 associated documents, while healthcare air and aerosols have 31. Research also addresses endoscope-channel biofilms and indoor-air treatment, but evidence and validation needs differ by application.