STERILIZATION INDICATORS
  • STERILIZATION INDICATORS
  • STEAM
  • ETHYLENE OXIDE
  • PLASMA
  • FORMALDEHYDE
  • RADIATION
  • DRY HEAT
  • CHLORINE DIOXIDE

One of the major areas of our R&D is sterilization indicators. Medical supplies, such as syringes and sutures used in the hospitals are sterilized with materials and processes such as steam, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide, plasma, formaldehyde, dry heat and radiation. We have developed formulations, processes and devices which change color when medical supplies are sterilized with above processes. These indicators change color, e.g., red-to-green when medical supplies are sterilized. The indicators are available in form of inks and labels.

Type of Sterilization Indicators: We have developed two major types of sterilization indicators: (1) Selective Indicators and (2) Multi-Process Indicators. The selective indicators are very selective to one sterilant only and are unaffected by the others. For example, plasma indicator will change color with plasma only and not with steam, ethylene oxide (EO) or radiation. The selective sterilization indicators include (1) steam, (2) ethylene oxide, (3) plasma, (4) radiation, (5) dry-heat and (6) formaldehyde. The multi-process indicators change color with more than one sterilants. For example, (1) steam-EO indicator will change color either with steam and/or EO treatments and (2) EO-plasma will change color with EO and/or plasma treatment.

Colors: We offer a very wide option of desirable starting (before sterilization), intermediate (to monitor partial sterilization) and final (upon sterilization) colors. The starting colors are light, e.g., colorless, yellow, beige, orange, pink, red, burgundy, brown etc. The final colors are dark, e.g., green, blue, purple, violet, and black. A large number of other colors are also available. The multi-process indicators have the same starting color (e.g., red) but upon sterilization they change either (1) one color (e.g., yellow) with one sterilant (e.g., EO) and the other color (e.g., blue) with the other sterilant (e.g., steam) or (2) to the same final color, e.g., blue with either sterilant.