Sterilization of Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus in different cold-chain environments by combining NO _x mode and O₃ mode air discharges

Cold-chain transport has been suggested to be an important means for the cross-regional transmission of pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, NO _x mode and O₃ mode air discharges were combined by mixing effluent gases for sterilization in several cold-chain environments. It was found that the mixed gas effectively inactivated Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus in 1-4 mm thick ice layers at different temperatures (−20/−40/−80 °C) within 10 min, which is a significantly stronger effect than that of the effluent gas of either the NO _x mode or the O₃ mode discharge alone. This can be attributed to the high-valence reactive nitrogen species such as N₂O₅. Our findings provide a promising sterilization strategy to curb the spread of infectious diseases in cold-chain environments.