Biomaterial Database

[The stability of biological indicators used for monitoring ethylene oxide gas sterilization]. 1994

B Jakimiak, and A Bielicka

Zakład Zwalczania Skazeń Biologicznych Państwowego Zakładu Higieny w Warszawie.

It was found the correlation between the storage time of biological indicators and their usefulness for monitoring of gas sterilization with ethylene oxide (EO). Bacillus subtilis var niger ATTC 9372 was used as a test organism. Two kinds of investigations were done: observation of bacterial growing or lack of growing after 1 hour exposition of storage tests in EO (EO concentration- 750 mg/l, temperature +/- 50 degrees C, (humidity-40%) and examination of drop in number of spores on strip tests after storage time. The results show that sterilization efficacy may be monitored using such spore strip tests up to six months of storage.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007202	Indicators and Reagents	Substances used for the detection, identification, analysis, etc. of chemical, biological, or pathologic processes or conditions. Indicators are substances that change in physical appearance, e.g., color, at or approaching the endpoint of a chemical titration, e.g., on the passage between acidity and alkalinity. Reagents are substances used for the detection or determination of another substance by chemical or microscopical means, especially analysis. Types of reagents are precipitants, solvents, oxidizers, reducers, fluxes, and colorimetric reagents. (From Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed, p301, p499)	Indicator,Reagent,Reagents,Indicators,Reagents and Indicators
D005027	Ethylene Oxide	A colorless and flammable gas at room temperature and pressure. Ethylene oxide is a bactericidal, fungicidal, and sporicidal disinfectant. It is effective against most micro-organisms, including viruses. It is used as a fumigant for foodstuffs and textiles and as an agent for the gaseous sterilization of heat-labile pharmaceutical and surgical materials. (From Reynolds, Martindale The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p794)	Oxirane,Oxide, Ethylene
D001412	Bacillus subtilis	A species of gram-positive bacteria that is a common soil and water saprophyte.	Natto Bacteria,Bacillus subtilis (natto),Bacillus subtilis subsp. natto,Bacillus subtilis var. natto
D013171	Spores, Bacterial	Heat and stain resistant, metabolically inactive bodies formed within the vegetative cells of bacteria of the genera Bacillus and Clostridium.	Bacterial Spores,Bacterial Spore,Spore, Bacterial
D013242	Sterilization	The destroying of all forms of life, especially microorganisms, by heat, chemical, or other means.
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor