Portable Chemical Sterilizer (PCS) for Surgical Instruments

摘要

A novel device called the Portable Chemical Sterilizer (PCS) has been developed for the rapid, safe, portable, power-free, and convenient sterilization of objects or surfaces contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms that cause foodborne illnesses, infections, and disease. The PCS relies on a novel chemical composition consisting of safe, easy-to-transport reagents. Adding water activates the chemical to controllably generate heat, steam, and the potent, broad-based biocidal agent chlorine dioxide (ClO2) that eliminate foodborne pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes) and bacterial spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus. The chemical reaction takes place inside specially configured prototype units to controllably sterilize contaminating microorganisms in as little as 30 minutes. Fundamentally, the sterilization process relies on the principles of chemical kinetics to control the rate of exothermic inorganic chemical reactions that produce heat and the disinfectant ClO2 at rates compatible with achieving the inactivation of harmful microorganisms. The genesis of the PCS configurations and the results of microbiological validation are presented.