MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Microbial inactivation and emission of volatile organic compounds in low-heat thermal treatment of infectious healthcare waste

Summary

Hospitals use special devices to sterilize infectious waste, but these machines can release harmful gases into the air. Researchers tested four different types of sterilizers in Tehran hospitals and found that machines with internal shredders work best and produce fewer harmful vapors. Temperature control during the sterilization process is crucial for effectiveness, and hospitals should install better air filtering systems to protect workers and the environment from exposure to these emissions.

Background

Healthcare waste management is critical for preventing infectious disease transmission and antibiotic resistance. Low-temperature sterilization devices are increasingly used in hospitals as alternatives to incineration, but concerns exist about their microbial inactivation efficiencies and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ammonia.

Objective

To evaluate and compare the decontamination efficiency and hazardous air pollutant emissions of four types of low-temperature sterilizer devices used in hospitals, including autoclaves with and without shredders, hydroclaves, and dry heating systems.

Results

The autoclave with shredder achieved 100% decontamination efficiency with the lowest VOC emissions (45.72 mg/m³), while the autoclave without shredder showed only 30% efficiency. The hydroclave had the highest VOC and ammonia emissions (128.03 mg/m³ and 6.48 mg/m³ respectively). Temperature compliance showed significant correlation with biological decontamination outcomes, and major VOCs included dichloromethane, ethyl alcohol, and ethyl acetate.

Conclusion

Autoclave devices with internal shredders demonstrated superior decontamination performance with lower emissions. Temperature monitoring is a reliable indicator of device efficiency. Implementation of advanced air pollution control systems and strict operational parameter adherence are essential to minimize occupational health risks and environmental impacts from sterilizer device emissions.
  • Published in:Heliyon,
  • Study Type:Comparative Laboratory Study,
  • Source: PMID: 39931492, DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42287
Scroll to Top