TotalThermalDisinfectionofCO2Incubators-TotalThermal.PDFVIP

Application Note: ANCO2THERMDIS 0809 Total Thermal Disinfection of CO2 incubators Fully automated, Residue-Free and Completely Safe Authors: D. J?ger, R. Leimbeck, Labor L+S AG, 97708 Bad Bocklet Key words: Thermal Disinfection Procedures, CO2 incubators, 180°C Hot Air Disinfection, Moist Heat Disinfection Summary Thermal disinfection procedures are utilized wherever the highest level of hygiene and demonstrable safety are required. In cell culture laboratories, the CO2 incubator must meet such requirements. In order to test the disinfection routines for Thermo Scientific Heracell? incubators, the reduction or elimination of various types of test germs, artificially applied to the interior walls was examined. This examination employed both vegetative, relatively, sensitive species of bacteria, as well as spore suspensions, known to be heat-resistant. Both the 180°C hot air disinfection over three hours using dry heat (Thermo Scientific Cytoperm? 2, Thermo Scientific Heraeus BBD 6220) as well as the ContraCon disinfection routine employed by the Heracell? and operating at 90°C for nine hours with moist heat resulted in the secure elimination of all applied test germs and spore suspensions. While alternate disinfection procedures were also tested, leading to a drastic reduction in the number of test germs, none of these resulted in the complete elimination of the germs. A routine operating at a disinfection temperature of 90°C and utilizing dry heat was found to be inadequate, even when the unit was held at the disinfection temperature for 15 hours. When employing moist heat at 90°C, disinfection times of less than nine hours were also found to be inadequate for a complete disinfection of the incubators. Introduction When working with cell cultures, aseptic procedures and higher levels of hygiene have absolute priority in the entire laboratory area. Microbial contamination results not only in frustration, but may also lead to a fatal distortion of the results. In addi