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HomePLASMA O3 project
Research · Low-temperature sterilisation

Rethinking
sterilisation.
Starting with air.

PLASMA O3 is A.d.M.'s project to bring an alternative to ethylene oxide to industrial scale for the sterilisation of medical devices*.

ADM pilot plant with the chamber open and packaged devices on pallets
PLASMA O3 / Pilot plantConcordia sulla Secchia, Modena
01 / THE CHALLENGE

Exploring a path
without EtO.

Changing the approach to sterilisation means studying the process as a whole.

The project explores a low-temperature technology that does not use ethylene oxide (EtO) as the sterilising agent. Medical devices, their materials, packaging and treatment conditions are central to this work.

The aim is to bring research closer to industrial process requirements.

The technology originated from research at the University of Bologna and is protected by patents granted in the European Union, the United States and China.

The pilot plant in Concordia sulla Secchia treats pallet loads; tests on biological indicators and devices from manufacturers in the sector were carried out by an independent accredited laboratory.

02 / THE PROCESS

From air to chamber.
A four-stage journey.

From air preparation to the end of the cycle: four stages illustrate the approach being developed by A.d.M**.

  1. 01

    Prepare the air

    Air is dried and fed into the generator.

  2. 02

    Generate plasma

    Plasma enables ozone and other reactive species to be generated from air.

  3. 03

    Treat the load

    The mixture enters the chamber containing the packaged devices.

  4. 04

    Manage the end of the cycle

    The approach includes extracting and destroying residual ozone before opening the chamber.

03 / THE REACTORS

The technology,
up close.

The footage shows a tangible part of the work: illuminated reactors during operation. A detail of the plant that can be observed directly.

The heart of PLASMA O3. The generator’s reactors in operation: the violet glow is the plasma, an electrical discharge that turns dried air into ozone and other reactive species. This is where the sterilant is generated, with no gas to buy and at low temperature***.
Video description

The footage shows circular reactor elements glowing violet in a dark environment. There is no audio.

Inside the project

A chamber.
A real load.
A research journey.

The pilot plant is where the project takes physical shape.

The updated photographs show the chamber and the arrangement of packaged devices. They provide the physical context for development and validation activities.

Detail of the open chamber with packages on pallets
01 / The chamber and its load
Closed pilot chamber with generator racks alongside
02 / External view of the plant

Project notes

PLASMA O3 is a research and development project undergoing validation. The technology is not yet available for routine use. Process efficacy and material compatibility must be demonstrated under the specific conditions of use. ↩

The process is shown in simplified form and is not an operating protocol. ↩

Test data and technical documentation are available on request, subject to a non-disclosure agreement. ↩