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, 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 several pathogens. Clostridioides 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 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.

Dangers of manipulation

Hydrogen peroxide vapors and fumes can irritate and damage the skin, the respiratory tract, and the eyes. Extreme precautions must be taken when manipulating hydrogen peroxide, and it must not be considered harmless.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydrogen peroxide</span> Chemical compound

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 as both 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 atmosphere, 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">Anthrax</span> Infection caused by Bacillus anthracis bacteria

Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. 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.

<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 25 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 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 microorganisms 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.

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.

An air purifier or air cleaner is a device which removes contaminants from the air in a room to improve indoor air quality. These devices are commonly marketed as being beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke.

Fenton's reagent is a solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and an iron catalyst (typically iron(II) sulfate, FeSO4). It is used to oxidize contaminants or waste water as part of an advanced oxidation process. Fenton's reagent can be used to destroy organic compounds such as trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene). It was developed in the 1890s by Henry John Horstman Fenton as an analytical reagent.

A gas generator is a device for generating gas. A gas generator may create gas by a chemical reaction or from a solid or liquid source, when storing a pressurized gas is undesirable or impractical.

Infection prevention and control is the discipline concerned with preventing healthcare-associated infections; a practical rather than academic sub-discipline of epidemiology. In Northern Europe, infection prevention and control is expanded from healthcare into a component in public health, known as "infection protection". It is an essential part of the infrastructure of health care. Infection control and hospital epidemiology are akin to public health practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole.

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 color from fabric or fiber or to disinfect after cleaning. It often refers specifically to a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite, also called "liquid bleach".

A virucide is any physical or chemical agent that deactivates or destroys viruses. The substances are not only virucidal but can be also bactericidal, fungicidal, sporicidal or tuberculocidal.

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.

Accelerated hydrogen peroxide (AHP) is a trademark for solution of hydrogen peroxide whose antibacterial efficacy is enhanced by a surfactant and an organic acid. It is also a disinfectant/cleaning agent that stabilizes hydrogen peroxide so that it can be used for extended periods of time.

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. 63 (10). US National Institutes of Health: 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
    2    O
    2     and H
    2    O     Under Ambient or Vacuum Conditions"    .
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