Similarly all chemical and biological sterilization indicators are slid into special sterilization loads, away from the bustle and hustle of other events. Both of them are of great importance and top priority in any healthcare center.
Biological indicators consist of resistant microorganisms spores which could be killed within the normal sterilization process. They are usually daily used in a steam sterilizer. Chemical sterilization indicators are aimed at monitoring of multiple parameters of the sterilization process. Their difference is that they don`t contain spores. Using chemical along with biological indicators ensures that local human health problems can be determined. Without these chemicals the risk of errors in the sterilization process is increasing.
Probably, the most common sterilization method nowadays is autoclave, which means that pressure and steam are transferred into the organism to kill harmful elements. In this case, sterilization indicators are often taped onto some thing to be autoclaved. This sterilization tape has a special chemical which changes its color if the acceptable condition has been met. Biological sterilization indicators are also very often used. For example, those which contain spores of Bacillus sterothermophilus, one of the most intense organisms the autoclave can destroy. If you want the sterilization to be effective, you should place particular sterilization indicators on the most complicated place. For autoclaving the critical matter is also cleaning off any biological material.
There are different types of sterilization indicators: selective indicators and multi-process indicators. The first ones are pretty selective to one sterilant only and are not effected by others. For example, plasma indicator can change its color only in a contact with plasma and not radiation or steam. The selective sterilization indicators include ethylene oxide, steam, plasma, dry-heat, radiation and formaldehyde. These mentioned indicators usually change their color with more than one sterilant. Very often a wide option of colors is offered: desirable starting (before sterilization), intermediate (reflecting the partial sterilization), and final colors (upon sterilization). Starting colors are always light (for example, they may be yellow, orange, beige, pink, red, brown or even colorless); but the final colors are dark, such as green, violet, purple, blue or even black.
Among these indicators self sealing sterilization pouches are pretty often used nowadays. They are puncture resistant, see-through plastic and blue tinted (for visualization of contest). They have a range of important advantages, foe example, protecting instruments during sterilization and providing sterile storage until use.
Thus, sterilization indicators are screen printed with an ink which changes its color that shows if the sterilization has occurred. These indicators are used to keep a close watch on the medical instruments sterilization, thermal processing of food for spoiling prevention, and also autoclave efficiency.