Excellent Sterilization Research Articles

Properties of plasma sterilizer using non-thermal atmospheric-pressure biocompatible plasma

Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure biocompatible plasma (NBP) has diverse functions such as surface treatment, and cleaning and decomposing organic matter. Few commercially available devices use plasma to sterilize and disinfect the air and surfaces. We commercialize a new plasma sterilizer that can eradicate viruses, bacteria, etc., using NBP with a compact setup. The hydroxyl (OH) radical species concentration inside the dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) is estimated from the equation reduced by R. Sankaranarayanan, which is approximately 9.78 × 1015 cm−3. The new plasma sterilizer with water droplets developed in this work exhibits excellent sterilization properties, with the OH radical concentration being approximately 30 times higher than that obtained in other types of atmospheric-pressure DBD devices in air saturated with vapor.

Validación de los procedimientos de lavado manual y automático de instrumental quirúrgico previo a la esterilización

Objective: to validate the manual and automated cleaning process of surgical instruments before their sterilization at the Sterilization Unit of a University Hospital. Method: a descriptive, prospective and cross-sectional study conducted between January, 2015 and September, 2017 at the Central Sterilization Unit of the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca. The selection of surgical instruments for each type of cleaning was conducted according to their characteristics. The validation of automated cleaning was conducted through the Load Check by Browne and CliniChek USW by Clinichem residual contamination tests; and the manual cleaning was evaluated through the Resi-test protein test by Browne. Results: there were 134 residual control tests conducted in the automated wash: 56% were valid, while 44% of the controls contained visible rests of residual contamination, mainly due to mechanical problems during the procedure. For the manual cleaning validation, 85 protein tests were analyzed in total. There was no presence of proteins detected in the material before sterilization in 88.3% of cases. Conclusions: the incorporation of new techniques, such as protein or residual contamination tests, allow to conduct a validation of the cleaning process, both automatic and manual, controlling from the start the treatment of surgical materials, as well as to implement any adequate correcting measures in order to achieve the excellent sterilization of instruments.

Dopamine polymerization tunes triboelectric interface

Polarizable layers can tune the electronic work functions between the triboelectric plates and vary the output performance triboelectric nanogenerator, while highly reactive molecules even change both the bio- and chemical properties of the polar surface, enabling their environmental and healthcare applications. In this work, we use the polydopamine (pDA) to functionalize the triboelectric interface by incubating the polarplate in a weak alkaline dopamine solution. This polymerization method is proven to be simple and versatile. The short circuit current and open circuit voltage of the pDA-modified single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator (pDA-S-TENG) are increased by 274.0% and 166.7%, respectively. This enhancement is so significant that the output from a palm-sized device is capable of driving more than 38 light-emitting diodes and charging supercapacitors directly for wearable electronics. In addition, this pDA-S-TENG-based flexible device can response linearly toward dynamic force with a high sensitivity of about 670μAMpa−1. Interestingly, the as-prepared pDA-S-TENG also presents excellent sterilization ability. The antibacterial rate is up to 99.75% and can be ascribed to the synergistic effect observed on the pDA-S-TENG interface. These advantages have made the pDA polymerization a valuable interfacial tuning strategy for developing TENG-based self-powered sensors and wearable electronics.

From triboelectric nanogenerator to self-powered smart floor: A minimalist design

Smart flooring systems are important components of intelligent building for purposes such as health care and security. It is finding that its every step more harshly spotlighted than has ever because it is subtle and intimate to people who come into contact with them. Here we presented a floor tracking system using a large-area single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator by simply coupling commercial polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring with a thin copper film. The system is not only able to collect and convert ambient mechanical energy to electricity with a power-density of 0.5µA/cm2, but also enables identifying and tracking footstep patterns by analyzing the movement of the users within a specific area. A detailed architecture and implementation of the smart floor is proposed together with an exhaustive test of its multifunction to give a comparison with other solutions already known to the state of art. Besides, the proposed system can also help to make the environment comfortable for high quality of life, as demonstrated by its excellent sterilization and dust removal performance. These multifunctional characteristics making it ideal for many applications including security surveillance, patient monitoring, indoor positioning, asset tracking, and entertainment.

Modifying graphene oxide with short peptide via click chemistry for biomedical applications

In this article, the synthesis, cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties of short peptide modified graphene oxide (GO) were presented. The materials were prepared via Cu (I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CUAAC) click reaction. Click reaction is an efficient synthesis method without damaging the bioactivity of grafted short peptide. Two different peptides (RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) and AMP (antimicrobial peptide)) were used to modify GO in this work. Compared with pristine GO, the RGD modified GO was endowed with better biocompatibility, while the AMP modified GO performed excellent sterilization property. This report of short peptide modified GO materials may provide an innovative strategy for the biomedical applications of GO.

Development of Rainwater Purification and Reclaimed Water Treatment Systems Using a High-Efficiency Air-Cooled Ozone Generator

The objective of this study is to improve water quality resulting from rainwater purification treatment and to utilize reclaimed water purification system and high-class treatment purification system. This can be done by developing a purification treatment technique through resolution of discharged ozone problems by circulation-type of ozone treatment method with the use of a high-efficiency air-cooled cylindrical ozone generator. While the final removal rate of BOD showed the highest rate of 96% for 12g without showing a great difference for the ozone injection amount of 9g and 12g, the final removal rate of COD upon treating for 12 minutes showed 73%, 66%, 93% and 96% for 3g, 6g, 9g and 12g, respectively, exhibiting similar treatment results to that of BOD. The removal of TSS and VSS due to ozone treatment was indicated not to have occurred. Also, upon passage of the magnetized water device, the removal rate of colon bacterium and general bacteria was shown to be about 35%, while a high removal rate exceeding 70% was indicated during the initial 3 minutes. Upon final treatment for 12 minutes, sterilization power above 99% was exhibited. Upon treatment using the magnetized water device and the OH- radical generator, not only dissolved suspended materials but also excellent sterilization power appeared to be identifiable.

Dissolvable Trimolybdate Nanowires as Ag Carriers for High-Efficiency Antimicrobial Applications

Elimination of bacteria and other microbes effectively is important to our daily life and a variety of medical applications. Here, we introduce a new kind of trimolybdate nanowires, namelyAg2−x(NH4)xMo3O10⋅3H2O, that carry a large amount of Ag atoms in the lattice and Ag-rich nanoparticles on the surface. These nanowires can eliminate bacteria ofE. coli,Staphylococcus aureus, and unknown microbes in raw natural water with high efficiency. For example, they can inactivate more than 98% ofE. coliwith a nanowire concentration of only 5 ppm in the solution. The excellent sterilization performance is attributed to the combined effects of Ag ions, Mo ions, and Ag-rich nanoparticles of theAg2−x(NH4)xMo3O10⋅3H2Onanowires. These nanowires are not dissolvable in deionized water but can be dissolved by the metabolic materials released from bacteria, making them attractive for many biological applications.

Photocatalytic sterilization of TiO 2 films coated on Al fiber

Photocatalytic TiO 2 films were coated on Al fiber by sol–gel dip-coating method, and then annealed. The crystal structure and morphology of the films were performed by XRD, TEM and SEM. Photocatalytic sterilization of the films was investigated in O 2 atmosphere through purifying the aqueous solution with facultative aerobe ( Bacillus cereus), aerobe ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and anaerobe ( Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli). In the presence of O 2, it benefits to generate O 2 − and OH at the first stage of the photocatalytic reaction, while the excess O 2 restrains the anaerobe from reproducing and accelerates the reproducing for the aerobe at the second stage of reaction. As a result, it was found that the crystal of TiO 2 films is anatase phase and the films have excellent sterilization effect against facultative aerobe and anaerobe. Nevertheless, it only decreased the bioactivity against aerobe in a short time.

패각분말을 이용한 살균성 메디아의 제조 및 정수기용 필터에 대한 응용

Antimicrobial powder was made by exchanging silver ion on calcined oyster shell. On the purpose of application to water clarifier, bail-type media mixed with antimicrobial powder and white kaoline were made. The sterilization effect, pore size distribution and zeta potential was tested to indicate the condition for the media of water clarifier. From these tests, it was confirmed that this media have an excellent sterilization power on germs. As the concentration of the exchanged silver ion increased, the surface charge density of the anions on the surface of the media also increased. The surface pore size decreased with the concentration of silver ion and 20% more white kaoline ratio. Consequently, mixing ratio of white kaoline would appear to indicate the optimun condition as media have sterilization power.