Abstract

HIDALGO RODRIGUEZ, Roxana; GONZALEZ FERNANDEZ, Ciro  and  CHIROLES DESPAIGNE, Sonia. Quantitative analysis and effect of residuals in low temperature chemical sterilization processes. Rev Cubana Invest Bioméd [online]. 2006, vol.25, n.2, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3011.

A comparative study was conducted by using 3 chemical methods that allow to quantify residuals of the sterilizing agent and to determine their accumulative effect on succesive cycles of sterilization. It was used a Matachana sterilizer 130 LF made in Spain, whose functioning principle is based on the use of low temperatures and steam  formaldehyde 2 % as a chemical sterilizing agent. This technology uses a mixture of CO₂ with ethylene oxide. The samples were taken from the working area and from catheters chemically composed of polyvynil chloride and fluoroethylene propylene or teflon. The residual levels obtained within the working area and in the devices were under the permisible limit level for the first sterilization and the 4 resterilizations performed. The sterilizing agent was eliminated in the own process, allowing the immediate use of the materials.  The sterilizing agent’s compatibility was excellent, without  risk for losing the material’s functionality.

Keywords : Chemical sterilization; steam  formaldehyde 2 %, ethylene oxide; effect of accumulated residuals.

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