‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

STERILIZATION

Prof. Khalifa Sifaw Ghenghesh

Dept. of Medical Microbiology,
Faculty of Medicine, Al-Fateh University
Tripoli - Libya
 ?What is Sterilization

• The removal of all forms of living

material.

• Important: First Objects to Be

Sterilized Should Be Cleaned by
Washing.
 METHODS OF STERILIZATION
1. DRY HEAT
– Red Heat
– Hot - Air Oven:
• 160o/ 60 minutes
• 180o/ 20 minutes
2. MOIST HEAT:
– Tyndallization: > 100oC/ 30 minutes
On 3 Consecutive Days.
– The Autoclave: > Pressurized Steam.
• 121oC/ 1.1 bar for 15 minutes.
• 134oC/ 2.2 bar for 3 minutes.
• TESTS FOR AUTOCLAVE FUNCTION

– The Bowie-Dick Autoclave Tape Test:

– Browne's Tubes:
– Automatic Controls or Pen Records:
– Bacteriological Tests (Spore Tests):
• 2. IRRADIATION
• i. Ultra - Violet Radiation (UV):
– a. Not Recommended.
– b. Poor penetration in Air.
– c. Suitable to Reduce Microbial Counts
in Safety Cabinets.

• ii. Gamma - Ray Radiation

– Source: Cobalt 60.
– a. Lethal to All Forms of Microbial
Life.
– b. Used Commercially.
• 3. FILTRATION
– Bacterial Stopping Filters.

• 4. GASES
• i. Ethylene Oxide Gas:
– a. Ventilators.
– b. Toxic & Explodes When Mixed
with Air.
• ii. Formaldehyde:
– a. Rooms and Lab. Cabinets.
• 5. LIQUIDES:
– Disinfectants.

• i. Glutaraldehyde:
– a. Sterilizing Heat Sensitive Pieces
of Equipments.
 Forms of Sterilization by Heat and Principle Uses.
_______________________________________________________________
Type of Heat Use
_______________________________________________________________
DRY:
1. Red Heat. Microbiological Loops. Incineration of Used
Lab. Culture Plates.
2. Hot - Air Oven. Many Surgical & Dental Instruments but
Not Fabrics or Rubber.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
MOIST:
1. Steam at 100oC Some Bacteriological Media.
On 3 Consecutive Days.

2. Pressurized Most Surgical and Dental Instruments,

Steam (Autoclave). Fabrics & Dressings (If Wrapped); Most
Microbiological Media & Glassware.
_______________________________________________________________
 Heat Content of Water and Steam
_______________________________________
Phase Temp. Heat Content (kJ/kg)
of oC Sensible Latent Total
Water Heat Heat Heat
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Liquid 100 419 0 419
Vapour 100 419 2257 2676
Vapour 121 509 2199 2708
Vapour 135 567 2160 2727
_______________________________________
• PROPERTIES OF STEAM
– i. Moisture content

– ii. Heat content

– iii. Penetration
 PRESSURE STEAM STERILIZERS

1. Porous Load Sterilizers (Prevacuum type):

• Removal of air and heating of the chamber.
• Sterilization of the load.
• Removal of steam and drying of the load by
mechanical evacuation.
• Admission of filtered air to restoration
atmospheric pressure.
2. Downward Displacement Jacketed
Sterilizers:
• Gradual displacement of air by incoming
steam while the chamber is heated to the
selected sterilizing temp.
• Sterilization of the textile packs for
30 min/ 121oc.
• Drying of the load by partial vacuum.
• Restoration of the chamber to
atmospheric pressure.
3. Unwrapped Instrument and Utensil
Sterilizers:
• DSL autoclaves

4. Fluid Sterilizers:
• e.g. water, iv solutions, etc.
• Factors influencing sterilization
time for fluids:
– rate of heating of the chamber:
– type of container:
– viscosity of the liquid:
– volume of the liquid:
– trapped air:
 " ‫الرحمن الرحيم‬ ‫" بسم هللا‬
DISINFECTION AND DISINFECTANTS

Prof. Khalifa Sifaw Ghenghesh

Dept. of Medical Microbiology,
Faculty of Medicine, Al-Fateh University
Tripoli - Libya
 Disinfection

• The removal of most of the

pathogenic microorganism, but
often non-pathogenic or resistant
forms of pathogens remain.
 Methods of Disinfection
• A. Cleaning
• Instruments with high risk organic
material >>

• Treat with strong disinfectant >>

Cleaning >> Sterile or dispose of.
B. Disinfection by Heat
i. Pasteurization
ii. Boiling water
iii. Flaming off alcohol

C. Physical Methods
• Ultrasonics
Ultrasonic vibration >
Disrupte microorganisms
e.g. Ultrasonic scalers.
D. Chemical Disinfectants
Denaturing protein or lipid
Act: Disrupting the biosynthetic pathways

I. Phenols
• Clear phenolic solutions:
• Black and White Phenolic Compounds:
• Chloroxylenol: (Dettol)
• Hexachlorophane: Pre-operative scrub
II. Halogenic Compounds

• Hypochlorites: Effective > HBV

• Iodine + Alcohol
Pre-operative skin antiseptic.
• Bovidone Iodine:
an anti-plaque agent.
III. Aldehydes
• Formaldehyde
• Gluteraldehyde
• Alcohol
-----------------------
Antiseptics
• Are bacteriostatic agents that can
be used on skin and mucosal
surfaces.
IV. Diguanides
• Chlorhexdine
0.5% + 70% alcohol >>> Skin
disinfectant

• Chlorhexidine gluconate
Treatment of oral candidosis + oral
ulceration
V. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
• Cetrimide

VI. Organic Dyes

• e.g. gentian violet
• Factors Affecting the Effectiveness
of Disinfectants:

• Tests of the Proper Functioning of

Liquid Disinfectants:
" In-use" Tests.
Storage of Sterile Instruments
• Never store instruments in liquid
disinfectants.

Waste Disposal

Special Problems
• HBV, HCV and HIV (AIDS)
 Sterilization and Disinfection
in Dentistry

• Sterilization >>> Autoclave.

• Dental instruments can and should be
autoclaved after each patient.
• Nozzles of air and water spray: ??