About EtO (Ethylene Oxide)

Ethylene oxide is a colorless, odorless gas whose specific chemical properties allow:

Good diffusion in porous materials.
Good diffusion and absorption in most plastic materials sensitive to temperature.
Good chemical reaction on the surface metal instruments sensitive to temperature.
It does not re-activate nor deteriorates most materials, which allows its use without risk.

Good penetration into folds and most inaccessible places of any item to be sterilised.
Low temperature sterilisation method (between 25º C and 55º C), ensuring non-deformation or destruction of items to be sterilised.
Good penetration of the membranes of packaging machines that contain various components (specifically, the polyethylene film).

About EtO (Ethylene Oxide) sterilisation method

EtO is a type of chemical sterilisation, based in the use of a sterilising agent called : ethylene oxide.The method has been used in medicine for over 60 years and is as an alternative for items that cannot be sterilised with the traditional techniques of heat and / or steam.

This method has not yet been replaced by other modern technologies, making it invaluable due to its capacity of sterilisation of items sensitive to temperature.

The development of new materials and primary products, and also those of medical activity, has created many new techniques and procedures requiring nontraditional materials with high temperature sensitivity Traditional techniques of heat exposure (dry and wet) and steam autoclaves have been progressively replaced by gamma-ray radiation and chemical sterilisation with ethylene oxide.

Application

Health care institutions (private, public hospitals, clinics, sanatoriums): medical packaging materials, sterilisation equipment.

Manufacturers of temperature-sensitive medical equipment (orthopaedic products, instruments for ophthalmology, etc ), medical packaging materials

Health emergencies (first aid units etc.): crushable glass ampoules containing EtO gas to be used without the process of sterilisation in the chambers.

Veterinary clinics and food industry : crushable glass ampoules containing EtO gas, to control wounds, and for instruments sterilisation.

Libraries and antiquarian: crushable glass ampoules containing EtO gas to control insects in books and in items of high historical value.

You can sterilise:

Plastics
Sensitive Gums
Optical Instruments
Electrical
Instruments fragile
Implants Prostheses.

You cannot sterilise the following:

All that can be sterilized by conventional techniques.
Aqueous solutions
Grease
Textile Components
Oils
Powder ...

Ethylene Oxide Sterilisation (EtO)

EtO Sterilization is a low-temperature process, that uses Ethylene Oxide gas to reduce the level of infectious agents.
Ethylene oxide (C2H4O) is a colorless gas of a feeble ethereal odor which at low temperature and ambient pressure has a bactericidal effect by an alkylation rapid and intense reaction exerting on the micro-organisms which are in the form vegetative or spore.

Ethylene oxide sterilisation is used in the process of sterilisation on products that cannot withstand the heat, the steam pressure or the ionizing radiation.
Besides, Ethylene Oxide penetrating power can sterilise products in their final packaging which is gas permeable and impermeable to microorganisms.
The effectiveness of sterilisation is systematically monitored:

using graphs as the record of the parameters of the sterilization cycles
using physico-chemical indicators placed inside the packaging
using biological indicators through the analysis of germ testing strips (Bacillus atropheus is used as the efficiency control indicator).

Prior any sterilisation the process requires a validation of influencing parameters such as initial product contamination, final product and its components checking, along with packaging and the sterilisation cycle parameters verification.