Low-temperature Sterilization of Wrapped Medical Instruments Using Low-pressure Microwave Plasma Produced by Face-type Planar Launchers

摘要

In this study, we investigated the characteristics of large-volume plasma discharges produced byrnface-to-face type planar microwave launchers installed internally in the vacuum chamber. Plasmarndischarge characteristics of surface-wave plasma and volume-wave plasma were studied by varyingrnpressure and incident microwave power, where both the plasmas were distributed inside thernchamber. Preliminary sterilization experiments using the biological inidicators wrapped withrnglassine envelopes or Tyvek bags were carried out. To realize the low-temperature sterilization,rnthat is, to reduce the temperature less than 70℃, we employed the time-modulated plasmarndischarges. It was confirmed that 106 Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores of the wrappedrnbiological indicators were killed after 70～80 min treatment with surface-wave plasma.