Destructive Effect of DBCD Plasma on HBsAg in Human Blood and Its Impact on Erythrocyte Functions

This paper aimed to investigate the destructive effect of an atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma (LTP) on hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in human blood as well as its impact on the functions of erythrocytes. Dielectric barrier corona discharge was used to generate the atmospheric-pressure LTP to treat the blood samples collected from hepatitis B patients with positive HBsAg, HBeAg, and anti-HBc, but negative HBsAb and HBeAb. The experimental results showed that the antigenicity of HBsAg in blood samples changed from positive to negative after being treated with the LTP for more than 40 s. Furthermore, the investigations demonstrated that after more than 30 s treatment of the LTP, osmotic fragility and malondialdehyde level of erythrocytes increased significantly, and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity of erythrocytes decreased remarkably. Our results revealed that the LTP could effectively destruct HBsAg in blood and inhibit erythrocyte functions during the process.