US 6,746,647 B2 · Method for rapidly sterilizing a load

Abstract

A method is provided for rapidly determining whether a load of equipment to be sterilized in a sterilization chamber absorbs, adsorbs, condenses, or decomposes significant amounts of germicide vapor or gas, such as hydrogen peroxide. The initial slope of the curve of a plot of ln(c/c0) versus time is determined, where c is the concentration of hydrogen peroxide and c0 is the maximum concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The initial slope is determined in the first 100 seconds after the maximum in the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. If the initial slope is approximately 0.016 sec−1 or less, the load is acceptable. If the initial slope is significantly steeper than 0.016 sec−1, the load absorbs, adsorbs, condenses, or decomposes significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide. If the slope of the curve is steep, the system can abort the sterilization run before significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide have been absorbed, adsorbed, or condensed.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for sterilizing a load with a germicide vapor or gas comprising:

placing the load into a sterilization chamber;
evacuating the sterilization chamber;
contacting the load in the sterilization chamber with the germicide vapor or gas;
monitoring a concentration of said germicide vapor or gas in the sterilization chamber as a function of time;
determining a rate of change of the concentration of said germicide vapor or gas in said sterilization chamber;
determining the suitability of the load from said rate of change;
and
sterilizing the load,
wherein the load is suitable for sterilization if the rate of change is less than an empirically-derived rate at which a predetermined level of sterilization is achieved.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for rapidly sterilizing a load

Life of this patent

Method for rapidly sterilizing a load

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23