Sterilizing Bacillus pumilus spores using supercritical carbon dioxide

• Published in: Journal of microbiological methods Vol. 66; no. 3; pp. 479 - 485
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jian, Burrows, Sarah, Gleason, Courtney, Matthews, Michael A., Drews, Michael J., LaBerge, Martine, An, Yuehuei H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 01-09-2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: 2-Propanol; Action of physical and chemical agents on bacteria; Applied microbiology; Bacillus - growth & development; Bacillus pumilus; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon Dioxide; Ethanol; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen Peroxide; Microbiology; Spores; Spores, Bacterial - growth & development; Sterilization; Sterilization - instrumentation; Sterilization - methods; Supercritical carbon dioxide; Spores; Supercritical carbon dioxide; Sterilization; Bacillales; Carbon dioxide; Bacillus pumilus; Bacteria; Disinfection; Bacillaceae; Supercritical state
• ISSN: 0167-7012; 1872-8359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2006.01.012

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO
2) has been evaluated as a new sterilization technology. Results are presented on killing of
B. pumilus spores using SC CO
2 containing trace levels of additives. Complete killing was achieved with 200 part per million (ppm) hydrogen peroxide in SC CO
2 at 60
°C, 27.5
MPa. Addition of water to SC CO
2 resulted in greater than three-log killing, but this is insufficient to claim sterilization. Neither ethanol nor isopropanol when added to SC CO
2 affected killing.