Autoclave uses moist heat sterilization for sterilizing and decontaminating the equipments. Autoclave sterilizes the equipments by subjecting them to high pressure saturated steam at 121 degree C and 15 pounds of pressure per square inch depending for around 15-20 minutes on the size of the load and the contents.
As autoclave works by allowing steam to enter and maintaining extremely high pressure for at least 15 minutes therefore heat labile products cannot be sterilized using the autoclave such as plastics etc. Some materials present specific hazards when autoclaved such as production of toxic or noxious gases. There is a limit for the materials which can be autoclaved and which cannot. (As stated earlier heat labile articles cannot be autoclaved).
Articles that can be autoclaved are listed below;
- Glass wares such as beakers, conical flasks glass rods and knifes.
- Cultures and stocks of infectious material.
- Culture dishes and related devices.
- Culture media (Luria agar and Luria broth).
- Discarded live and attenuated vaccines.
- Contaminated solid items such as: Petri dishes, Eppendorf, pipette tips, pipettes, gloves, paper towel.
Articles that cannot be autoclaved are listed below;
- Heat labile products
- Sealed articles
- Radioactive elements
- Volatile articles
- Chlorinated compounds
- Corrosive chemicals
- Articles contaminated with chemotherapeutic agents
- Some plastics
- Articles that can be denatured under the steam.