Steriliserad

Steriliserad is Swedish for “sterilized,” describing a state in which an object or environment is free from viable microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores. In professional contexts, sterilization is distinct from disinfection or pasteurization; sterilization aims at complete absence of viable forms, achieved by validated processes that meet recognized standards. The goal is a sterility assurance level (SAL) commonly 10^-6 in medicine and industries handling sterile products.

Methods of sterilization include thermal, chemical, radiation, and filtration approaches. Thermal sterilization uses moist heat (steam) in autoclaves, typically at 121°C for several minutes, sometimes with higher temperatures for dry heat. Chemical sterilization uses agents such as glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, or peracetic acid, often for heat-sensitive instruments, sometimes with extended exposure or plasma. Radiation sterilization employs ionizing radiation (gamma rays or electron beams). Filtration sterilization removes microorganisms from liquids using sterile filters with pore sizes around 0.22 micrometers, not suitable for all substances. Aseptic technique combines these methods with rigorous handling to maintain sterility.

Applications of sterilised items are broad and include hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and pharmaceutical manufacturing for surgery, implants, culture media, and injectable products, as well as sterilised food packaging and consumer health devices.

Verification and standards involve process validation, routine monitoring with biological indicators such as Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores, chemical indicators, and packaging integrity checks to ensure sterility until use.

Limitations include the fact that some materials cannot be sterilized by certain methods, potential residues or altered material properties from chemical or physical processes, and the need for specialized methods to address certain agents such as prions.

See also: disinfection, pasteurization, aseptic technique, sterilization.