The purpose of an autoclave in cleanrooms, educational establishments, pharmaceutical research and test laboratories as well as manufacturing is singularly that of destroying any micro-organisms in a load – whether that be the petri dishes and glassware used in lab processes such as culture growth, or discarded waste or clothing. The overall objective is achieved through sterilisation, which is designed to render items safe, ready for subsequent disposal or re-use.
With such importance placed on the autoclave how can the user be certain that it has achieved the required sterilisation? Improperly autoclaved materials result in contamination, lost time and wasted money – and much worse in extreme circumstances.
Although a series of tests carried out in the 1950s by the Medical Research Council established the times and different temperatures required to achieve sterilisation, there is no simple formula for how long a certain item needs to be autoclaved to achieve sterility. Consideration must be given to the type of primary container (the beaker, flask or packet), the volume of liquid, amount of solid material and any secondary container such as a tray surrounding the primary container.
Not yet a Subscriber?
This is a small extract of the full article which is available ONLY to premium content subscribers. Click below to get premium content on Cleanroom Technology.
Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Sign in here.