Serchem, a UK-based healthcare detergent manufacturer and supplier, is using ProReveal, a test to detect proteins on surgical instruments from Scientific Digital Imaging's Synoptics Health Division, to accurately diagnose the efficacy and optimise the chemistry of its detergents for protein removal. This will in future provide professionals working in sterile services departments (SSDs) and endoscopy facilities with detergents that deliver the ultimate in cleaning capabilities.
Serchem is using the highly sensitive ProReveal in-situ fluorescence test’s ability to detect nanogram levels of protein on surgical instruments in its R&D department in Telford, UK to test the efficacy of its alkaline, neutral and enzymatic cleaning ranges to remove proteins from specifically calibrated protein soil test standards.
Since ProReveal provides quantitative data on residual protein, using the results of these experiments, Serchem’s formulation scientists can assess how effective its current detergent ranges are. Using the ProReveal will also allow them to determine how manipulating components of the detergent’s formulation has a direct impact on how much protein can be removed, thus making designing an optimum formula for maximum protein removal a quicker and more accurate task.
Paul Arnold, Sales Director at Serchem, said: 'We supply detergents to over 240 sterile service and endoscopy decontamination sites in the UK alone so we’re all too aware of how challenging removing residual protein from surgical instruments can be. Financial constraints are being placed on many hospital sites, some with older less efficient equipment and less than ideal water conditions where investment for new washers and water treatment may not be possible and this is proving to be a challenge. Then there is the issue of the instrument manufacturers’ cleaning instructions that complicates the decision making process even further. Therefore, it is up to detergent manufacturers to design their products intelligently to deliver maximum cleaning efficacy, even when washing processes are sub-optimal.'
He added: 'We believe that ProReveal can play a vital part in that process.'
