Ethylene oxide control technology development for hospital sterilizers. Final report for March 1986-September 1987

Technical Report · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6999899

Meiners, A F

The report discusses the development of ethylene oxide (EO) control technology for hospital sterilizers. Hospitals sterilize heat-sensitive items in gas sterilizers that use a mixture of EO (12 wt %) and a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) (88 wt %). The active sterilizing agent is EO. The CFC is added as a flameproofing diluent. Two potential sterilizer emission-control systems were tested: catalytic oxidation and acid hydrolysis. In catalytic oxidation, relatively dilute mixtures of air and EO (12/88) are passed through a catalyst bed at 149-177 C. In acid hydrolysis, EO is hydrolyzed to ethylene glycol using H2SO4 (the CFC is unaffected). A full-scale system was tested under laboratory conditions, simulating a system that could be used for hospital sterilizers. The tests showed that the EO destruction efficiency was 99.9-99.999% of the EO reaching the device. However, 45-60% of the EO was absorbed by the ethylene glycol used in the closed-circuit liquid-ring vacuum pump. Each system has significant advantages and limitations.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Inst., Kansas City, MO (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6999899
• Report Number(s): PB-88-211792/XAB; MRI-8691-L
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DISINFECTANTS
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
HOSPITALS
MEDICAL SUPPLIES
ACID HYDROLYSIS
PROGRESS REPORT
BUILDINGS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DECOMPOSITION
DOCUMENT TYPES
GERMICIDES
HYDROLYSIS
LYSIS
MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS
POLLUTION CONTROL
SOLVOLYSIS
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)