Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Process disinfecting – preserving – deodorizing – or sterilizing – Using direct contact with electrical or electromagnetic...
Patent
1993-06-07
1995-05-09
Warden, Robert J.
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Process disinfecting, preserving, deodorizing, or sterilizing
Using direct contact with electrical or electromagnetic...
422 22, 422906, A61L 200
Patent
active
054137594
ABSTRACT:
A method for plasma sterilization includes exposing an article to be sterilized to a plasma generated from a gas mixture. The gas mixture being either (a) argon, helium, nitrogen, or mixtures thereof, and oxygen and hydrogen; (b) argon, helium, nitrogen or mixtures thereof, and hydrogen; or (c) argon, helium, nitrogen or mixtures thereof, and oxygen. The exposure of the article to the plasma is carried out at a pressure of from 0.1 to 10 torr and a chamber temperature of less than 63.degree. C. for a time period sufficient to effect sterilization. Contaminated articles can be pretreated in a plasma generated from oxygen and optionally argon, helium and/or nitrogen at the same conditions for up to 5 minutes to remove protein. The apparatus for plasma sterilization of articles includes a plasma generator and a sterilizing chamber. The plasma generator includes a plurality of generator tubes positioned in one or more electromagnetic field zones defined by one or more waveguides. The outlet of the generator tube preferably has a restriction for maintaining the gas pressure in the plasma generating chamber at from 0.3 to 10 torr.
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Campbell Bryant A.
Moulton Kern A.
Abtox, Inc.
Thornton Krisanne M.
Warden Robert J.
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