However, e-beam sterilization can use higher dosages and shorter treatment times seconds vs. In terms of cost, e-beam sterilization is equivalent to or less expensive than gamma sterilization.
Electron beam accelerators will also generate X-rays for sterilization. In a process known as Bremsstrahlung, the deceleration of the electron when passing the nucleus results in the release of X-rays. Electron energies of MeV are commercially used; the energies of the resultant X-rays lie along a spectrum ranging from zero to the energy of the electron beam.
In practice, X-rays used for sterilization can be more penetrating than either gamma-rays or electron beams. Thus, a concerted stream of X-rays is sent towards the product of interest and multiple rows of products can be sterilized simultaneously. Of radiation sterilization techniques, X-ray sterilization can achieve the highest dose uniformity ratio DUR , the ratio between maximum and minimum dose required for sterilization.
Radiation based sterilization methods offer numerous advantages over traditional chemical or heat-based sterilization: []. Terminal Processing: Due to the penetration depth of ionizing radiation, products can be processed in their fully sealed, final packaging.
This limits risk of contamination following sterilization. Furthermore, radiation sterilization has no heat dependence and is efficient at both ambient temperature and sub-zero temperatures.
It is compatible with temperature sensitive materials, such as pharmaceuticals and biological samples. Chemical Independence: No volatile or toxic chemicals are needed. In the case of X-ray or e-beam irradiation, no end products requiring disposal are generated during the procedure. No residue: Radiation leaves no residue on the sterilized product. Flexibility: Radiation can sterilize products of any phase gaseous, liquid or solid materials , products with variable density, size or thickness, and homogeneous or heterogeneous systems.
Furthermore, sterilization can be conducted at any temperature and any pressure. Time efficiency: E-beam sterilization can be completed within seconds to minutes.
Sterility assurance level SAL : Radiation treatment can yield a high SAL of 10 -6 or better, ensuring that less than one out of a million microorganisms survive the sterilization procedure.
However, radiation sterilization techniques do have a number of drawbacks: []. Instrumentation: Capital costs are high and specialized facilities are often needed. The high energies involved in e-beam radiation can also lead to main chain scission breaking of the long chain backbone and chemical crosslinking of packaging polymers. Radioactive material: When gamma radiation is used as an ionization source, radiation sterilization requires handling and disposal of radioactive material.
Note that, at commonly used radiation levels, irradiation with gamma rays does not induce radioactivity in the treated sample itself. The sterilization market is comprised of about Look at the E-Beam Services, Inc. Hope this helps and thanks for your question. John P. Answer posted on 18 October The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only.
Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. In electron beam sterilization, boxes of medical devices are put on a conveyor in a single layer. As they pass through the beam, electrons penetrate the cardboard box and all the medical devices in their individual packages inside the carton. Harmful microorganisms are completely inactivated with minimal effect on the medical devices.
As the electrons penetrate the products, the radiation dose diminishes so less radiation leaves the box then entered. Medical devices are usually turned over and irradiated from the opposite side in order to get a relatively uniform dose.
Electron-beam machines are highly reliable and provide consistent radiation sterilization, because the dosing they provide is precisely repeatable.
Gamma sterilization, unlike electron beam sterilization, uses a radioactive cobalt source in the form of pencils. Several hours are required to deliver the radiation dose. Because E-BEAM Services uses the highest power accelerators for maximum throughput, boxes are dosed in a matter of seconds.
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