Decontamination of Equipment in Southern California

Why Decontamination of Equipment is a Necessity?

Rigorous and continuous usage of laboratory equipment leaves it vulnerable to contamination. Hazardous chemicals, pollutants and materials cannot be easily scrubbed off of these equipment easily and require a special procedure and protocol called “Decontamination”. Medical devices, scientific instruments used in industrial or chemical industries and environmental surfaces are prone to contamination and organizations often set up a scheduled decontamination procedure. Employees and workers handling this equipment are always required to wash their hands before and after using the equipment and they are also required to wash, rinse and cleanse the equipment after using it. However; the decontamination of equipment in Southern California is conducted separately too, like in other parts of the country, where the equipment is thoroughly taken through several stages of disinfection, in order to maintain the safety of these equipment.

Effective Methods of Decontamination in Southern California:

Cleaning is one of the oldest and simplest forms of decontamination. However; in this case, scrubbing the equipment with protocol latex or rubber gloves and chemicals is important. It cleans the object and removes any dust, soil or other visible material from the surface. Sterilization through wet or dry heat is an effective method in removal of microbial life from the equipment. The decontamination of equipment in Southern California involves heating them through two different methods to at least 121 Centigrade for 30-60 minutes or heating them up to 160 - 170 Centigrade for 2-4 hours, depending upon the nature of contamination and the medium of the equipment. Another effective and most used method is the treatment with liquid disinfectants, such as acids, halogens, alkalis and heavy metal salts etc. These disinfectants are chosen after careful examination and requirements of the equipment.

The requirements may vary from the type of organism, concentration and density of contamination, contact time and other conditions regarding the nature of hazardous materials. One of the effective methods used for decontamination of equipment in Southern California is using highly pressurized vapors and gases in closed and controlled environments. Gaseous and vaporized forms of chlorine dioxide are used to rid the bio-safety cabinets of the hazardous materials. Lastly, radiation exposure is another treatment for these equipment, where the airborne micro-organisms on any surface and equipment are exposed to ionization and non-ionization. Highly radioactive UV bands of light are used to cleanse these hazardous organisms in water and on equipment surfaces. This method is often used as a last resort, since it requires constant precautions and maintenance. These methods have proven effective in decontamination of equipment in Southern California and are currently used, depending on the conditions and intensity of the exposure and contamination.