Although initially the levels were very high, storage for four days at room temperature reduced them to a safe level. If adequate controls of the sterilising process and storage are carried out, sterilisation by ethylene oxide is considered to be safe for new plastics and clean equipment.

How dangerous is ethylene oxide sterilization?

Exposure to ETO can cause eye pain, sore throat, difficulty breathing and blurred vision. Exposure can also cause dizziness, nausea, headache, convulsions, blisters and vomiting and coughing. In a variety of in vitro and animal studies, ETO has been demonstrated to be carcinogenic.

Is ethylene oxide toxic to humans?

Chronic (long-term) exposure to ethylene oxide in humans can cause irritation of the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs, and damage to the brain and nervous system. ... EPA has concluded that ethylene oxide is carcinogenic to humans by the inhalation route of exposure.

How safe is ethylene oxide?

Exposure to ethylene oxide may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulty, drowsiness, weakness, exhaustion, eye and skin burns, frostbite, and reproductive effects. Workers may be harmed from exposure to ethylene oxide. The level of exposure depends upon the dose, duration, and work being done.

Is EtO sterilization banned?

EO is not banned by any U.S. regulatory agencies.

While most of the EO is used to make common house hold products such as detergents, polyester, cosmetics and antifreeze, only a small fraction is used for sterilization.

How Ethylene Oxide Works in Sterilization of Critical Medical Supplies

35 related questions found

What cancers does ethylene oxide cause?

Lymphoma and leukemia are the cancers most frequently reported to be associated with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide. Stomach and breast cancers may also be associated with ethylene oxide exposure.

Do hospitals use ethylene oxide?

Ethylene oxide (EtO) gas sterilizers have been used by hospitals for over 40 years to sterilize surgical equipment and supplies that are heat sensitive or that cannot tolerate excessive moisture.

Is ethylene oxide a carcinogenic?

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that ethylene oxide be regarded in the workplace as a potential occupational carcinogen, and that appropriate controls be used to reduce worker exposure.

What level of ethylene oxide is harmful to humans?

Acute exposure to ethylene oxide at the odor detection level (≥260 ppm) causes eye and upper respiratory tract irritation and signs and symptoms of effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Is ethylene oxide used to sterilize medical equipment?

Currently, ethylene oxide gas is used to sterilize 50% of all medical supplies that require that high level of disinfection -- everything from plastic surgical gowns to syringes, catheters, bandages, gauze, and pacemakers.

Is ethylene oxide banned in Australia?

Historically, ethylene oxide was used as a fumigant pesticide to treat foodstuffs sold in Australia. ... Ethylene oxide has not been an accepted treatment for any foods that are sold in Australia since 2003.

Why is ethylene oxide used to sterilize?

Its primary advantage is that it can sterilize medical equipment and instruments, which are moisture or heat-sensitive, without harmful effects on the materials used in the devices. In other words, delicate plastics and polymers won't be subjected to the abuse of high-temperature sterilization.

Is ethylene oxide banned in UK?

Ethylene oxide is a carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic disinfectant which is banned in the European Union and yet has been circulating in Europe for several months or even years. It has been used to treat certain foodstuffs before export.

What can you sterilize with ethylene oxide?

Ethylene oxide sterilizers are used to sterilize heat- and moisture- sensitive devices that would be damaged by pure steam or liquid chemical sterilization, including most plastic or rubber products (e.g., catheters, resuscitation bags, anesthesia masks, most fiberoptic instruments), as well as non-heat-sensitive ...

Is ethylene oxide a cigarette?

Ethylene oxide (EO) is a metabolite of ethylene, also found in cigarette smoke, and is carcinogenic in rodents.

What foods contain ethylene oxide?

Ethylene oxide was also recently found in the additive locust bean gum, which is mainly a thickening agent or stabilizer. It is used in foods including ice cream, breakfast cereals, meat products, confectionery, fermented milk products and cheese.

What is a potential symptom from exposure to ethylene oxide?

Acute exposures to EtO gas may result in respiratory irritation and lung injury, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and cyanosis. Chronic exposure has been associated with the occurrence of cancer, reproductive effects, mutagenic changes, neurotoxicity, and sensitization.

What is a safe amount of ethylene oxide?

► Ethylene Oxide may polymerize (self-react) violently. OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 1 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift and 5 ppm, as an excursion limit, averaged over a period of 15-minutes.

What can ethylene oxide cause?

Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure to high concentrations of ethylene oxide can cause headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, respiratory irritation (e.g., coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing) and, in some cases, vomiting and other types of gastrointestinal distress.

What is EtO sterilization?

EtO Sterilization is a low-temperature process (typically between 37 and 63°C) that uses Ethylene Oxide gas to reduce the level of infectious agents. ... It is mainly used for products that cannot withstand the heat of typical autoclave sterilization such as plastic.

How do you sterilize medical instruments at home?

To disinfect a needle at home through boiling:

1. Use a pot that has been meticulously cleaned with disinfectant soap and hot water.
2. Put the needle into the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil of at least 200°F (93.3°C).
3. Boil the needle for at least 30 minutes prior to use.

How much ethylene oxide is in a cigarette?

Although Eto derived from ethene appears to be a major source of the HOEtVal groups in Hb, other possible sources must also be considered. Ethylene oxide in the smoke from non-fumigated cigarettes — about 5 ftg/cig.

Where is formaldehyde used?

Formaldehyde is a strong-smelling, colorless gas used in making building materials and many household products. It is used in pressed-wood products, such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard; glues and adhesives; permanent-press fabrics; paper product coatings; and certain insulation materials.

What are 3 types of sterilization?

Three primary methods of medical sterilization occur from high temperature/pressure and chemical processes.

• Plasma Gas Sterilizers. ...
• Autoclaves. ...
• Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilizers.

Is ethylene oxide effective against viruses?

Ethylene oxide is capable of destroying most viruses, bacteria, and fungi, including bacterial spores. It reacts with protoplasm, DNA, and proteins and deactivates enzymes and other biologically important components of a living organism. Ethylene oxide is more effective in killing microorganisms under dry conditions.