CO2 laser assisted deactivation of bacteria and bacteriophage samples

It is well-known that the exposure of bacteria and germs to electromagnetic radiation can lead to their annihilation. In this work, we have attempted to characterize the effect of laser radiation on test samples comprising bacteria and bacteriophages. A pulsed transverse excitation atmosphere CO2 laser that operates in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum has been employed for the studies. Aeromonas bacterium and its specific virus, P2 bacteriophage, cultured on a typical matrix of tryptic soya agar, served as the test samples. Agar overlay technique was used to examine the test results. A detailed analysis of the laser-exposed samples showed a complete neutralization of Aeromonas bacteria and its bacteriophage for appropriate laser parameters. Since bacteriophages are extensively used as a surrogate organism to study virucidal effects, it is anticipated that exposure to CO2 laser radiation will have a similar effect on SARS CoV2 and viruses of similar nature.