Chemical Techniques for Monitoring Your Autoclave and Ensuring Optimal Sterilization

You're sterilizing instruments to reduce the risk of bloodborne pathogens and cross-contamination, but you need to monitor your autoclave to ensure it's working properly.

Chemical monitoring uses an indicator such as tape, strips, or special markings and tabs on packaging materials. These indicators contain sensitive chemicals that change color when exposed to high temperatures or combinations of time and temperature. Because the results of chemical indicator results are visible immediately following the sterilization cycle, you'll understand the quality of that sterilization cycle quicker than with a spore test.

A chemical indicator should be used inside every package to ensure the sterilizing agent has penetrated the package and reached the instruments inside.

But similar to mechanical monitoring, successful chemical monitoring does not guarantee that the items monitored by the chemical indicator is sterile. According to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), the use of chemical indicators, part of an effective quality assurance program, should be used in conjunction with mechanical and biological monitors.

Chemical indicators available from Henry Schein include:

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