Powdered anti-microbial composition

A method of microbially decontaminating items, the method comprising:

• measuring selected quantities of dry reagents, which dry reagents includes an acetylsalicylic acid precursor and a sodium perborate peracid,
• sealing the dry ingredients in an ampule until an item is to microbially decontaminated;
• opening the ampule and dissolving the dry reagents in a water containing liquid such that an anti-microbially effective solution of a peracetic acid and a borate and salicylic acid corrosion inhibitor are formed;
• immersing the item in the solution for a duration sufficient to kill at least pathogenic microbes;
• and,
• rinsing the item.

A method of sterilizing items, the method comprising:

• measuring selected quantities of powdered, which the powder ingredients include a mixture of at least one of:
• K.sub.2 Cr.sub.2 O.sub.7, NaCl, and H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 ;
• NaBO.sub.3 and H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 ;
• and
• NaClO.sub.2 and LiClO;
• and
• acetylsalicylic acid and a perborate;
• sealing the powdered ingredients in an ampule;
• opening the ampule and reacting the powdered ingredients in a water containing solution such that an anti-microbially effective solution of an oxidant which kills microorganisms and a inorganic corrosion inhibitor if formed;
• immersing the item in the solution for a sufficient duration to kill microorganisms on the item;
• and,
• rinsing the item.

A method of disinfecting items, the method comprising:

• measuring selected quantities of powdered ingredients, the powdered ingredients including a mixture of an acetylsalicylic acid precursor and at least one of (i) NaBO.sub.3, (ii) NaBP.sub.3 and NaCl, and (iii) a powdered salt that forms an inorganic corrosion inhibitor when the mixture reacts in water;
• sealing the powdered ingredients in an ampule until an item is to be disinfected;
• opening the ampule and reacting the powdered ingredients in a liquid such that an anti-microbially effective solution of a peracetic acid oxidant, an inorganic corrosion inhibitor, and a salicylic organic corrosion inhibitor are formed;
• immersing the item in the solution until disinfected;
• and,
• rinsing the item.

A method of microbially decontaminating items, the method comprising:

• measuring selected quantities of powdered ingredients which form an oxidant that kills at least pathogenic microorganisms when mixed with a dissolving liquid and at least one corrosion inhibitor from the class consisting essentially of:
• benzotriazoles, tolytriazoles, mercaptobensathiozol, azoles, bensoate, molybdates, phosphates, chromates, dichromates, tungstate, vanadate, and borate;
• sealing the powdered ingredients in an ampule until an item is to be microbially decontaminated;
• opening the ampule and dissolving the powdered ingredients in the dissolving liquid such that an anti-microbially effective solution of the pathogenic microorganism killing oxidant and corrosion inhibitors is formed;
• immersing the item in the solution at lest until the pathogenic microorgansism are killed;
• and,
• rinsing the item.

A method of microbially decontaminating items, the method comprising:

• measuring selected quantities of powdered ingredients which dissolve and react to form an oxidant which is sufficiently strong to kill at least pathogenic microorganisms and at least one organic corrosion inhibitor from the class consisting essentially of:
• benzotriazoles, tolytriazoles, mercaptobenzathiozol, azoles, imidazoles, thiozoles, indoles, pyrazoles, and benzoate;
• and at least on inorganic corrosion inhibitor from the class consisting essentially of:
• molybdates, phosphates, chromates, dichromates, tungstate, silicates, vanadate, and borate;
• sealing the powdered ingredients in an ampule;
• opening the ampule and dissolving the powdered ingredients and reacting the dissolved ingredients to form an anti-microbially effective solution of the pathogenic microorganism killing oxidant and corrosion inhibitors;
• immersing the item in the solution until the pathogenic microorganisms are killed;
• and,
• rinsing the item.

A method of sterilizing items, the method comprising:

• measuring selected quantities of powdered reagents which form a strong oxidant which is effective to kill microorganisms when dissolved;
• sealing the powdered reagents in an ampule;
• disposing the item to be sterilized in a closed basin;
• opening the ampule, dissolving the powdered ingredients, and reacting the dissolved ingredients to form a sterilant solution, the dissolving and reacting steps including recirculating the sterilant solution from a drain end of the basin through interconnecting tubing and back to a basin inlet until microorganisms on the item, in the basin, and in the interconnecting tubing are killed, whereby the interconnecting tubing is sterilized with the item;
• and
• rinsing the item.

A microbial decontamination apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of disposable ampules, each ampule having a preselected dose of powdered reagents including a mixture of at least one of:
• (i) K.sub.2 Cr.sub.2 O.sub.7, NaCl, and H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 powders,
• (ii) NaBO.sub.3 and H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 powders,
• (iii) NaClO.sub.2 and LiClO powders, (iv) acetylsalicylic acid precursor and borate peracid powders;
• a receiving region for receiving the powdered reagents and reacting the powdered reagents with water to form an oxidant and corrosion inhibitor solution;
• interconnecting tubing for interconnecting the powdered reagent receiving region with a pump, a basin for receiving an item to be microbially decontaminated, and a water supply, such that water from the water supply selectively flows through and reacts the powdered reagents in the reagent receiving region forming the oxidant and corrosion inhibitor solution and such that the pump selectively pumps the oxidant and corrosion inhibitor solution through the interconnecting tubing into the basin microbially decontaminating the interconnecting tubing and the item.