Ethylene oxide or ETO sterilizers are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry and health care institutions to sterilize products/materials sensitive to moisture or heat. These high technology sterilizers are potent in killing pathogens and consist of electrical heating jackets and provide excellent steam and temperature distribution in the heating chamber. The heating chamber is generally made of stainless steel and enclosed with aluminum or stainless steel panels. The machines are also equipped with automatic temperature control mechanism. In ETO sterilization bacteria die from the coagulation or denaturation of the protein constituents.
ETO Sterilisation Process
- Presterilization Conditioning: The ETO sterilization process begins with presterilization conditioning which includes sealing and evacuating the chamber adn adjusting the temperature and pressure of the chamber.
- Sterilization: This involves adding sterilant and maintain an optimum operating pressure and temperature in the chamber.
- Evacuation and Air washing:This process involves evacuating the chamber and and giving it a number of air washing to remove any trace of ETO gas
- AerationFinally any residual ETO in the product or material is removed through aeration, which can either be done in the sterilizing chamber or in a specially designed aeration chamber.
