| abstract |
AN APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR HYDROGEN PEROXIDE VAPOR STERILIZATION OF MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS AND SIMILAR DEVICES MAKE USE OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE VAPOR RELEASED FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY NON-AQUEOUS ORGANIC HYDROGEN PEROXIDE COMPLEX, SUCH AS A UREA-PEROXIDE COMPLEX. OPTIONALLY, A PLASMA CAN BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VAPOR. A METHOD FOR PREPARING SUBSTANTIALLY NON-AQUEOUS HYDROGEN PEROXIDE COMPLEXES IS ALSO PROVIDED. THESE COMPLEXES ARE USEFUL AS A SOURCE OF PEROXIDE VAPOR IN HYDROGEN PEROXIDE VAPOR STERILIZERS AND AS A COMPONENT OF SELF-STERILIZING PACKAGING MATERIALS. |