Sterilization Method for Medical Container Using Microwave-Excited Volume-Wave Plasma

摘要

We demonstrate a novel sterilization technique that sterilizes medical instruments stored in medical containers by generating a microwave-excited volume-wave plasma inside medical containers using a planar microwave launcher. We confirmed that a plasma was generated inside the medical container by the microwaves transmitted through the heat-resistant plastic lid of the container. A Langmuir probe was used to study the characteristics of the microwave-excited volume-wave plasma generated inside the container. The irtacti-vation characteristics of Geobacillus stearothermophi-lus spores set inside the medical container were also investigated. 2.3 × 10~6 spores were inactivated after irradiation for 40 min or longer by a plasma generated in a simulated air mixture. This inactivation time could be reduced to 30 min by adding water vapor to the air-simulated plasma.