Does incineration turn infectious waste aseptic?
Incineration of infectious waste is considered to be biologically safe. We performed basic experiments to confirm that bacillus spores are killed by incineration in a muffle furnace. Biological samples containing 10(6) spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus were placed in stainless steel Petri dishes and then into hot furnaces. The furnace temperature and duration of incineration were 300 degrees C for 15 min, 300 degrees C for 30 min, 500 degrees C for 15 min, 500 degrees C for 30 min and 1100 degrees C for 3 min. We confirmed that all spores of B. stearothermophilus were killed at each of these settings. The effect of incineration seems to be equivalent to that of sterilization, based on the satisfactory sterilization assurance level of 10(-6).
Kanemitsu
K
K
Department of Infection Control and Laboratory Diagnostics, Internal Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi Aobaku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan. kane2@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Inden
K
K
Kunishima
H
H
Ueno
K
K
Hatta
M
M
Gunji
Y
Y
Watanabe
I
I
Kaku
M
M
D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus / Q000254:growth & development; D006358:Hot Temperature; D017745:Incineration; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D013242:Sterilization; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D017744:Medical Waste Disposal