Non-incineration microwave assisted sterilization of medical waste.
A non-incineration method for sterilizing hospital infectious wastes has been studied and realized. A small apparatus operating at 2.45 GHz and at a power of 3 kW was designed to optimize power transfer from the electromagnetic field to the infectious materials, which have been previously shredded and moisture-corrected. The high pressure reached in the reactor, 7 atm, was enough to ensure complete sterilization in just a few minutes for a batch of several hundred grams of waste. Sterilization efficacy during microwave irradiation was also optimized with a new procedure using thermal, microbiological and water vapour sensors in a single test.
Veronesi
Paolo
P
Department of Materials and Environmental Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Leonelli
Cristina
C
Moscato
Umberto
U
Cappi
Angelo
A
Figurelli
Ornella
O
D004867:Equipment Design; D006761:Hospitals; D017745:Incineration; D008284:Maintenance and Engineering, Hospital; D008506:Medical Waste; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008872:Microwaves; D011827:Radiation; D013242:Sterilization; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D008506:Medical Waste; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal