Cold gas sterilization process
First Claim
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1. A method of "cold" gas sterilization which comprises:
- surrounding an article to be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of less than 75 mg/L; and
maintaining such gas in contact with such article at temperatures below 80°
C. until such article is sterile, whereupon sterility of said article is established and including the step of maintaining said article in a sterile condition protected from recontamination until use.
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Abstract
A "cold" gas sterilization process that operates at temperatures below 80° C. in a temperature range that is generally considered nonsporicidal. The process is capable of sterilizing with gaseous hydrogen peroxide at extremely low concentrations in a gas phase, such as 0.5 mg/L. The widely used process of "cold" sterilizing with ethylene oxide is typically run at a gas concentration of 630 mg/L and 55° C. Apparatus is also disclosed for use of this process in "cold" sterilization of contact lenses.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of "cold" gas sterilization which comprises:
- surrounding an article to be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of less than 75 mg/L; and
maintaining such gas in contact with such article at temperatures below 80°
C. until such article is sterile, whereupon sterility of said article is established and including the step of maintaining said article in a sterile condition protected from recontamination until use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- surrounding an article to be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of less than 75 mg/L; and
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4. A method of "cold" sterilizing an article not suited for total liquid submersion, comprising the steps of:
- encasing said article in a chamber;
surrounding the article in the chamber with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of less than 75 mg/L; and
maintaining such gas in contact with the article at temperatures below 80°
C. until such article is sterile, whereupon sterility of said article is established and including the step of maintaining said article in a sterile condition protected from recontamination until use.
- encasing said article in a chamber;
- 5. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the method includes the step of evacuating the chamber.
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8. A method of "cold" gas sterilization which comprises:
- surrounding an article to be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of less than 75 mg/L and at a pressure of less than atmospheric; and
maintaining said gas under such conditions in contact with such article at temperatures below 80°
C. until such article is sterile, whereupon sterility of said article is established and including the step of maintaining said article in a sterile condition protected from recontamination until use. - View Dependent Claims (9)
- surrounding an article to be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of less than 75 mg/L and at a pressure of less than atmospheric; and
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10. A method of "cold" gas sterilization which comprises:
- surrounding an article to be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of 0.1 to 50 mg/L; and
maintaining such gas in contact with the article for a period of greater than 60 seconds and at temperatures of from 45°
C. to 65°
C. until such article is sterile, whereupon sterility of said article is established and including the step of maintaining said article in a sterile condition protected from recontamination until use.
- surrounding an article to be sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas having a concentration of 0.1 to 50 mg/L; and
Specification