Chemical Sterilization of Medical and Dental Equipment
In addition to high pressure evaporation or dry heat sterilization, there is chemical sterilization as alternative. A number of high-level disinfectants will kill endospores after prolonged exposure (10-24 hours).
General disinfectant that can be used for chemical sterilization consists of glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde. Sterilization takes place by soaking the instruments for at least 10 hours in 2-4% solution of glutaraldehyde or 8% formaldehyde material soaked for 24 hours.
Radiation Sterilization of Medical and Dental Equipment
Radiation sterilization can be done in several ways:
a) Gas sterilization, the used material is formaldehyde gas, the usage by means of fogging the room with low temperature. In United States and some other countries, ethylene oxide (EtO) is used to do sterilization process of surgical instruments that are sensitive to heat and moisture, such as plastic and instruments, but the sterilization process using ETO is a complicated process (it tooks 2 hours of exposure and 24 hours of aeration).
b) Ultraviolet Sterilization, ultraviolet ray (UV) has been used to help sterilization of the room. UV energy is very limited. It does not penetrate into dust, lenders or water. UV ray can kill microorganisms directly; the surfaces that cannot be reached by UV ray (e.g in the syringe or laparoscope), the existence of certain microorganisms will not be killed. (Sarwono Prawirohardjo, 2004).
