Observations on a formaldehyde low-temperature steam sterilizer.
In Finnish hospitals, heat labile equipment is mostly sterilized by ethylene oxide (EO) gas. Formaldehyde sterilizers are rarely used. We have tested a new commercial autoclave constructed exclusively for formaldehyde and low-temperature steam (F-LTS) sterilization, offering a potentially safer and cheaper method of sterilization. Both the sterilizing efficacy of the apparatus and the levels of formaldehyde in the processed materials were studied.
D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D005387:Finland; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006761:Hospitals; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods*