title: A comparative study of ethylene oxide gas, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, and low-temperature steam formaldehyde sterilization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacies of ethylene oxide gas (EOG), hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (PLASMA), and low-temperature steam formaldehyde (LTSF) sterilization methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  The efficacies of EOG, PLASMA, and LTSF sterilization were tested using metal and plastic plates, common medical instruments, and three process challenge devices with narrow lumens. All items were contaminated with Bacillus stearothermophilus spores or used a standard biological indicator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EOG and LTSF demonstrated effective killing of B. stearothermophilus spores, with or without serum, on plates, on instruments, and in process challenge devices. PLASMA failed to adequately sterilize materials on multiple trials in several experiments, including two of three plates, two of three instruments, and all process challenge devices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that PLASMA sterilization may be unsuccessful under certain conditions, particularly when used for items with complex shapes and narrow lumens. Alternatively, LTSF sterilization demonstrates excellent efficacy and is comparable to EOG sterilization. LTSF could potentially act as a substitute if EOG becomes unavailable due to environmental concerns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. kane2@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanemitsu
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imasaka
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kunishima
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harigae
authors.forename: Kumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaku
mesh_terms: D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000382:microbiology*; D005027:Ethylene Oxide; D005557:Formaldehyde; D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus / Q000502:physiology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007564:Japan; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005557:Formaldehyde; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D005027:Ethylene Oxide