Vaporized hydrogen peroxide

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Vaporized hydrogen peroxide (trademarked VHP, [1] also known as hydrogen peroxide vapor, HPV) is a vapor form of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with applications as a low-temperature antimicrobial vapor used to decontaminate enclosed and sealed areas such as laboratory workstations, isolation and pass-through rooms, [2] and even aircraft interiors. [3]

Contents

Use as sterilant

Regulatory status

VHP is registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a sterilant, which the EPA defines as "a substance that destroys or eliminates all forms of microbial life in the inanimate environment, including all forms of vegetative bacteria, bacterial spores, fungi, fungal spores, and viruses". [2] As a sterilant, VHP is one of the chemicals approved for decontamination of anthrax spores from contaminated buildings, such as occurred during the 2001 anthrax attacks in the U.S. [4] It has also been shown to be effective in removing exotic animal viruses, such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease from equipment and surfaces. [5]

Application

VHP is produced from a solution of liquid H2O2 and water, by generators specifically designed for the purpose. These generators initially dehumidify the ambient air, then produce VHP by passing aqueous hydrogen peroxide over a vaporizer, and circulate the vapor at a programmed concentration in the air, typically from 140 ppm to 1400 ppm, depending on the infectious agent to be cleared. [6] By comparison, a concentration of 75 ppm is considered to be "Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health" in humans. [7] After the VHP has circulated in the enclosed space for a pre-defined period of time, it is circulated back through the generator, where it is broken down into water and oxygen by a catalytic converter, until concentrations of VHP fall to safe levels (typically <1 ppm). [6] Alternatively, the VHP is vented to the outside air, in cases where recapturing of the VHP is not needed.

Use in hospitals

Vaporized hydrogen peroxide has been investigated as an airborne disinfectant and infection control measure for hospitals [8] and has been shown to reduce incidence of nosocomial infections from a number of pathogens. Clostridium difficile associated disease, VRE and MRSA are all associated with environmental contamination. H2O2 vapor has been used in hospitals to eradicate causal agents, e.g., antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae , from the environment and prevent infection of subsequent patients. [9]

Monitoring technologies

OSHA mandates a PEL of 1.0 ppm (1.4 mg/m ) for HPV. [10] Typically, safe working environments around sterilization equipment is achieved with electrochemical sensors capable of measuring in the parts per billion and low parts per million levels. These sensors are typically inexpensive and limited to ambient conditions. Moreover, HPV electrochemical sensors are often located near the sterilization equipment to detect possible leaks during the sterilization cycle. In 2014, Advanced Sterilization Products (ASP), sovaldi the manufacturer of the Sterrad hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizer, issued a letter to hospital risk managers warning them that hydrogen peroxide residues may be found in the sterilization load. [11] HPV being present in the sterilization load, could lead the accidental exposure of hospital staff.

Monitoring hydrogen peroxide levels inside of the sterilization chamber during the sterilization cycle can be challenging. Technical issues such as condensation, vacuum, and high concentration have prevented many sensing technologies such as electrochemical sensors from providing real time monitoring of H2O2 concentration. Under these conditions, optical methods such as spectroscopy [12] can be used to ensure that lethal concentrations of H2O2 are achieved in the sterilization chamber.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydrogen peroxide</span> Chemical compound (H₂O₂); simplest peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula H2O2. In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usually as a dilute solution in water for consumer use, and in higher concentrations for industrial use. Concentrated hydrogen peroxide, or "high-test peroxide", decomposes explosively when heated and has been used both as a monopropellant and an oxidizer in rocketry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ozone</span> Allotrope of oxygen (O₃) present in Earths atmosphere

Ozone is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula O
3. It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope O
2, breaking down in the lower atmosphere to O
2 (dioxygen). Ozone is formed from dioxygen by the action of ultraviolet (UV) light and electrical discharges within the Earth's atmosphere. It is present in very low concentrations throughout the latter, with its highest concentration high in the ozone layer of the stratosphere, which absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catalase</span> Biocatalyst decomposing hydrogen peroxide

Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen which catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. It is a very important enzyme in protecting the cell from oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Catalase has one of the highest turnover numbers of all enzymes; one catalase molecule can convert millions of hydrogen peroxide molecules to water and oxygen each second.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthrax</span> Infection caused by Bacillus anthracis bacteria

Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The skin form presents with a small blister with surrounding swelling that often turns into a painless ulcer with a black center. The inhalation form presents with fever, chest pain and shortness of breath. The intestinal form presents with diarrhea, abdominal pains, nausea and vomiting. The injection form presents with fever and an abscess at the site of drug injection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endospore</span> Protective structure formed by bacteria

An endospore is a dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by some bacteria in the phylum Bacillota. The name "endospore" is suggestive of a spore or seed-like form, but it is not a true spore. It is a stripped-down, dormant form to which the bacterium can reduce itself. Endospore formation is usually triggered by a lack of nutrients, and usually occurs in gram-positive bacteria. In endospore formation, the bacterium divides within its cell wall, and one side then engulfs the other. Endospores enable bacteria to lie dormant for extended periods, even centuries. There are many reports of spores remaining viable over 10,000 years, and revival of spores millions of years old has been claimed. There is one report of viable spores of Bacillus marismortui in salt crystals approximately 250 million years old. When the environment becomes more favorable, the endospore can reactivate itself into a vegetative state. Most types of bacteria cannot change to the endospore form. Examples of bacterial species that can form endospores include Bacillus cereus, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, Clostridium botulinum, and Clostridium tetani. Endospore formation is not found among Archaea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterilization (microbiology)</span> Process that eliminates all biological agents on an object or in a volume

Sterilization refers to any process that removes, kills, or deactivates all forms of life and other biological agents such as prions present in or on a specific surface, object, or fluid. Sterilization can be achieved through various means, including heat, chemicals, irradiation, high pressure, and filtration. Sterilization is distinct from disinfection, sanitization, and pasteurization, in that those methods reduce rather than eliminate all forms of life and biological agents present. After sterilization, an object is referred to as being sterile or aseptic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlorine dioxide</span> Chemical compound

Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula ClO2 that exists as yellowish-green gas above 11 °C, a reddish-brown liquid between 11 °C and −59 °C, and as bright orange crystals below −59 °C. It is usually handled as an aqueous solution. It is commonly used as a bleach. More recent developments have extended its applications in food processing and as a disinfectant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disinfectant</span> Antimicrobial agent that inactivates or destroys microbes

A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than sterilization, which is an extreme physical or chemical process that kills all types of life. Disinfectants are generally distinguished from other antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics, which destroy microorganisms within the body, and antiseptics, which destroy microorganisms on living tissue. Disinfectants are also different from biocides—the latter are intended to destroy all forms of life, not just microorganisms. Disinfectants work by destroying the cell wall of microbes or interfering with their metabolism. It is also a form of decontamination, and can be defined as the process whereby physical or chemical methods are used to reduce the amount of pathogenic microorganisms on a surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fumigation</span> Pest control technique

Fumigation is a method of pest control or the removal of harmful micro-organisms by completely filling an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within. It is used to control pests in buildings, soil, grain, and produce. Fumigation is also used during the processing of goods for import or export to prevent the transfer of exotic organisms. Structural fumigation targets pests inside buildings, including pests that inhabit the physical structure itself, such as woodborers and drywood termites. Commodity fumigation, on the other hand, is also to be conducted inside a physical structure, such as a storage unit, but it aims to eliminate pests from infesting physical goods, usually food products, by killing pests within the container which will house them. Each fumigation lasts for a certain duration. This is because after spraying the pesticides, or fumigants, only the pests around are eradicated.

An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms (microbicide) or stops their growth. Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they act primarily against. For example, antibiotics are used against bacteria, and antifungals are used against fungi. They can also be classified according to their function. The use of antimicrobial medicines to treat infection is known as antimicrobial chemotherapy, while the use of antimicrobial medicines to prevent infection is known as antimicrobial prophylaxis.

High-test peroxide (HTP) is a highly concentrated solution of hydrogen peroxide, with the remainder consisting predominantly of water. In contact with a catalyst, it decomposes into a high-temperature mixture of steam and oxygen, with no remaining liquid water. It was used as a propellant of HTP rockets and torpedoes, and has been used for high-performance vernier engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air purifier</span> Device that removes contaminants from the air in a room

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Peracetic acid (also known as peroxyacetic acid, or PAA) is an organic compound with the formula CH3CO3H. This peroxy acid is a colorless liquid with a characteristic acrid odor reminiscent of acetic acid. It can be highly corrosive.

A gas detector is a device that detects the presence of gases in an area, often as part of a safety system. A gas detector can sound an alarm to operators in the area where the leak is occurring, giving them the opportunity to leave. This type of device is important because there are many gases that can be harmful to organic life, such as humans or animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleach</span> Chemicals used to whiten or disinfect

Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove colour (whitening) from fabric or fiber or to clean or to remove stains in a process called bleaching. It often refers specifically to a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite, also called "liquid bleach".

Sterilant gas monitoring is the detection of hazardous gases used by health care and other facilities to sterilize medical supplies that cannot be sterilized by heat or steam methods. The current FDA approved sterilant gases are ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide and ozone. Other liquid sterilants, such as peracetic acid, may also be used for sterilization and may raise similar occupational health issues. Sterilization means the complete destruction of all biological life, and sterilization efficacy is typically considered adequate if less than one in a million microbes remain viable.

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References

  1. ↑ "VHP (Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide) Biodecontamination Systems". sterislifesciences.com. Retrieved February 2016.
  2. 1 2 "EPA: Pesticides - Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide". US Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on October 10, 2006.
  3. ↑ "Vaporized Hydrogen peroxide (VHP) Decontamination if a Section of a Boeing 747 Cabin" (PDF). US Federal Aviation Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 25, 2012. Retrieved September 2008.
  4. ↑ "Anthrax Spore Decontamination using Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor". US Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved September 2008.
  5. ↑ Heckert, RA; Best, M; Jordan, LT; Dulac, GC; Eddington, DL; Sterritt, WG (1997). "Efficacy of Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide against Exotic Animal Viruses". Appl Environ Microbiol. US National Institutes of Health. 63 (10): 3916–8. Bibcode:1997ApEnM..63.3916H. doi:10.1128/AEM.63.10.3916-3918.1997. PMC   168702 . PMID   9327555. Retrieved September 2008.
  6. 1 2 "HVAC Considerations for Gaseous Decontamination of Laboratory Spaces using Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor (HPV)" (PDF). Phoenix Controls Corporation. Retrieved September 2008.
  7. ↑ "NIOSH:Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations". US Centers for Disease Control. 26 February 2021. Retrieved September 2008.
  8. ↑ Falagas, M.E.; Thomaidis, P.C.; Kotsantis, I.K.; Sgouros, K.; Samonis, G.; Karageorgopoulos, D.E. (July 2011). "Airborne hydrogen peroxide for disinfection of the hospital environment and infection control: a systematic review". Journal of Hospital Infection. 78 (3): 171–177. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2010.12.006. PMID   21392848.
  9. ↑ Vastag, Brian (2012), "Deadly Bacteria Stalked Hospital", The Washington Post , Thursday, 23 August 2012, pg A1.
  10. ↑ "Hydrogen Peroxide - OSHA Analytical Method 1019" (PDF). osha.gov. January 2016. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  11. ↑ "ASP Warns of Exposure to Residual Hydrogen Peroxide in Sterilizer Load". ChemDAQ. 2014-01-20. Archived from the original on 2019-04-12.
  12. ↑ "Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor (HPV) Analyzer System Measuring H
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