Efficacy of water skin decontamination in vivo in humans: A systematic review.

With the constant possibility of occupational exposures, chemical warfare, and targeted attacks, increased attention has been given to determining effective and timely dermal decontamination strategies. This systematic review summarises experimental studies reporting decontamination with water-based solutions of dermal chemical contaminants with in vivo human data. Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were comprehensively searched using search terms ("cutaneous" or "skin" or "dermal" or "percutaneous") and ("decontamination" or "decontaminant" or "skin decontamination") to include 10 studies, representing 18 chemical contaminants, 199 participants, and 351 decontamination outcomes. Three studies included data from decontamination with water (10.8%, n = 38/351 decontamination outcomes), seven with soap and water (68.4%, n = 240/351 decontamination outcomes), and two with 10% isopropanol distilled water (20.8%, n = 73/351 decontamination outcomes). Results of dermal decontamination using water showed complete decontamination (CD) outcomes in 52.6% (n = 20/38) and partial decontamination (PD) in 47.4% (n = 18/38); using soap and water showed PD outcomes in 92.9% (n = 223/240) and minimal to no effect in 7.1% (n = 17/240); and using 10% isopropanol distilled water achieved PD outcomes in 100.0% (n = 73/73). Available data show that decontamination with water, soap and water, and 10% isopropanol distilled water is incomplete. Much remains to be learned about decontamination of the large variety of chemical contaminants including a range of molecular weights, lipid and water solubilities, melting points, volatility, and hydrogen bonds, as well as clinically relevant anatomic sites. A major void exists in data confirming or denying the completeness of decontamination by measuring absorption and excretion. The development of effective decontamination solutions is of high priority.

Heat-Treated Virus Inactivation Rate Depends Strongly on Treatment Procedure: Illustration with SARS-CoV-2.

Decontamination helps limit environmental transmission of infectious agents. It is required for the safe reuse of contaminated medical, laboratory, and personal protective equipment, and for the safe handling of biological samples. Heat treatment is a common decontamination method, notably used for viruses. We show that for liquid specimens (here, solution of SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture medium), the virus inactivation rate under heat treatment at 70°C can vary by almost two orders of magnitude depending on the treatment procedure, from a half-life of 0.86 min (95% credible interval [CI] 0.09, 1.77) in closed vials in a heat block to 37.04 min (95% CI 12.64, 869.82) in uncovered plates in a dry oven. These findings suggest a critical role of evaporation in virus inactivation via dry heat. Placing samples in open or uncovered containers may dramatically reduce the speed and efficacy of heat treatment for virus inactivation. Given these findings, we reviewed the literature on temperature-dependent coronavirus stability and found that specimen container types, along with whether they are closed, covered, or uncovered, are rarely reported in the scientific literature. Heat-treatment procedures must be fully specified when reporting experimental studies to facilitate result interpretation and reproducibility, and must be carefully considered when developing decontamination guidelines. IMPORTANCE Heat is a powerful weapon against most infectious agents. It is widely used for decontamination of medical, laboratory, and personal protective equipment, and for biological samples. There are many methods of heat treatment, and methodological details can affect speed and efficacy of decontamination. We applied four different heat-treatment procedures to liquid specimens containing SARS-CoV-2. Our results show that the container used to store specimens during decontamination can substantially affect inactivation rate; for a given initial level of contamination, decontamination time can vary from a few minutes in closed vials to several hours in uncovered plates. Reviewing the literature, we found that container choices and heat treatment methods are only rarely reported explicitly in methods sections. Our study shows that careful consideration of heat-treatment procedure-in particular the choice of specimen container and whether it is covered-can make results more consistent across studies, improve decontamination practice, and provide insight into the mechanisms of virus inactivation.

Construction and validation of UV-C decontamination cabinets for filtering facepiece respirators: comment.

In their September 2020 paper [Appl. Opt.59, 7585 (2020)APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.401602], Purschke et al. report UV-C transmittance measurements of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), including the 3M 1860, which is one of the most widely used FFRs. We have also measured the transmittance of this FFR in our two separate laboratories with multiple FFR samples, and we have obtained transmittance values similar to one another, but very different from what Purschke et al. reported for two of the four FFR layers.

Inactivation of bacterial endospores on surfaces by plasma processed air.

AIMS: In case of biological hazards and pandemics, personal protective equipment of rescue forces is currently manually decontaminated with harmful disinfectants, primarily peracetic acid. To overcome current drawbacks regarding supply, handling and disposal of chemicals, the use of plasma processed air (PPA) represents a promising alternative for surface decontamination on site. In this study, the sporicidal efficiency of a portable plasma system, designed for field applications, was evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: The developed plasma device is based on a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and operated with ambient air as process gas. PPA from the plasma nozzle was flushed into a treatment chamber (volume: 300 l) and bacterial endospores (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus atrophaeus) dried on different surfaces were treated under variable conditions. Reductions in spores by more than 4 log10 were found within 3 min of PPA exposure. However, the presence of endospores in agglomerates or in an organic matrix as well as the complexity of the respective surface microstructure negatively affected the inactivation efficiency. When endospores were embedded in a dried protein matrix, mechanical wiping with swabs during exposure to PPA increased the inactivation effect significantly. Gaseous ozone alone did not provide a sporicidal effect. Significant spore inactivation was only obtained when water vapour was injected into the PPA stream. CONCLUSION: The results show that endospores dried on surfaces can be reduced by several orders of magnitude within few minutes in a treatment chamber which is flushed with PPA from of a DBD plasma nozzle. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Plasma processed air generated on site by DBD plasma nozzles could be a suitable alternative for the disinfection of various surfaces in closed rooms.

Construction and validation of UV-C decontamination cabinets for filtering facepiece respirators.

We present evidence-based design principles for three different UV-C based decontamination systems for N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) within the context of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak of 2019-2020. The approaches used here were created with consideration for the needs of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and other under-resourced facilities. As such, a particular emphasis is placed on providing cost-effective solutions that can be implemented in short order using generally available components and subsystems. We discuss three optical designs for decontamination chambers, describe experiments verifying design parameters, validate the efficacy of the decontamination for two commonly used N95 FFRs (3M, #1860 and Gerson #1730), and run mechanical and filtration tests that support FFR reuse for at least five decontamination cycles.

Bactericidal Efficacy of a Two-Dimensional Array of Integrated, Coaxial, Microhollow, Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Against Salmonella enterica Serovar Heidelberg.

We studied the efficacy of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma (CAP), generated by a two-dimensional array of integrated, coaxial, microhollow, dielectric barrier discharge plasma, against Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg (SH) on stainless steel, romaine lettuce, and chicken breast. Exposure of SH to CAP on a dry stainless steel surface had low bactericidal efficacy; only 2.5 log10 colony-forming units (CFUs) were inactivated after 10 min of exposure. On the other hand, the presence of moisture led to decontamination of ∼6.5 log10 CFUs after only 3 min. Although complete decontamination was not achieved on lettuce and chicken breast samples after 10 min of exposure, SH counts were reduced by ∼4.5 and 3.7 log10 CFUs, respectively. A partial suppression of bactericidal effects was observed on steel surfaces when it was coated with bovine serum albumin before spiking with bacteria and exposure to plasma, indicating that the proteinaceous nature of chicken meat may be partially responsible for lower efficacy of CAP on chicken muscles. The initial bacterial load was also found to affect the anti-SH efficacy; at high (∼6.5 log CFUs) and low (∼3.5 CFUs) initial counts, the time required for complete decontamination on stainless steel and lettuce decreased from 3 to 0.5 min and >10 to 1 min, respectively. However, the analysis of inactivation kinetics showed that effects of initial loads of contamination on the rate of bacterial inactivation were not statistically significant. This is consistent with other findings for conditions where both bacterial loads were under the multilayering threshold that might have affected the rate of killing.

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation of the inner bore of a CT gantry.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility and practicality of ultraviolet (UV) germicidal irradiation of the inner bore of a computed tomography (CT) gantry as a means of viral decontamination. METHOD: A UV lamp (PADNUT 38 W, 253 nm UV-C light tube) and UV-C dosimeter (GENERAL UV-C Digital Light Meter No. UV512C) were used to measure irradiance throughout the inner bore of a CT scanner gantry. Irradiance (units µW/cm2 ) was related to the time required to achieve 6-log viral kill (10-6 survival fraction). RESULTS: A warm-up time of ~120 s was required for the lamp to reach stable irradiance. Irradiance at the scan plane (z = 0 cm) of the CT scanner was 580.9 µW/cm2 , reducing to ~350 µW/cm2 at z = ±20 cm toward the front or back of the gantry. The angular distribution of irradiation was uniform within 10% coefficient of variation. A conservative estimate suggests at least 6-log kill (survival fraction ≤ 10-6 ) of viral RNA within ±20 cm of the scan plane with an irradiation time of 120 s from cold start. More conservatively, running the lamp for 180 s (3 min) or 300 s (5 min) from cold start is estimated to yield survival fraction <<10-7 survival fraction within ±20 cm of the scan plane. CONCLUSION: Ultraviolet irradiation of the inner bore of the CT gantry can be achieved with a simple UV-C lamp attached to the CT couch. Such practice could augment manual wipe-down procedures, improve safety for CT technologists or housekeeping staff, and could potentially reduce turnover time between scanning sessions.

Decontamination Effect of the Spindle and 222-Nanometer Krypton-Chlorine Excimer Lamp Combination against Pathogens on Apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) and Bell Peppers (Capsicum annuum L.).

In this study, we developed a washing system capable of decontaminating fresh produce by combining the Spindle apparatus, which detaches microorganisms on sample surfaces, and a 222-nm krypton-chlorine excimer lamp (KrCl excilamp) (Sp-Ex) and investigated their decontamination effect against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes on apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) surfaces. Initial levels of the three pathogens were approximately 108 CFU/sample. Both E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium were reduced to below the detection limit (2.0 log CFU/sample) after 5 and 7 min of treatment on apple and bell pepper surfaces, respectively. The amounts of L. monocytogenes on apple and bell pepper surfaces were reduced by 4.26 and 5.48 logs, respectively, after 7 min of treatment. The decontamination effect of the Sp-Ex was influenced by the hydrophobicity of the sample surface as well as the microbial cell surface, and the decontamination effect decreased as the two hydrophobicity values increased. To improve the decontamination effect of the Sp-Ex, Tween 20, a surfactant that weakens the hydrophobic interaction between the sample surface and pathogenic bacteria, was incorporated into Sp-Ex processing. It was found that its decontamination effect was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by the addition of 0.1% Tween 20. Sp-Ex did not cause significant quality changes in apple or bell pepper surfaces during 7 days storage following treatment (P > 0.05). Our results suggest that Sp-Ex could be applied as a system to control pathogens in place of chemical sanitizer washing by the fresh-produce industry.IMPORTANCE Although most fresh-produce processing currently controls pathogens by means of washing with sanitizers, there are still problems such as the generation of harmful substances and changes in product quality. A combination system composed of the Spindle and a 222-nm KrCl excilamp (Sp-Ex) developed in this study reduced pathogens on apple and bell pepper surfaces using sanitizer-free water without altering produce color and texture. This study demonstrates the potential of the Sp-Ex to replace conventional washing with sanitizers, and it can be used as baseline data for practical application by industry. In addition, implementation of the Sp-Ex developed in this study is expected not only to meet consumer preference for fresh, minimally processed produce but also to reduce human exposure to harmful chemicals while being beneficial to the environment.

Ozone technology to reduce zearalenone contamination in whole maize flour: degradation kinetics and impact on quality.

BACKGROUND: Maize is one of the most important cereals. It is used for different purposes and in different industries worldwide. This cereal is prone to contamination with mycotoxins, such as zearalenone (ZEN), which is produced mainly by Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum and F. equiseti. Toxin production under highly moist conditions (aw > 0.95) is exacerbated if there are alternations between low temperatures (12-14 °C) and high temperatures (25-28 °C). Even if good production practices are adopted, mycotoxins can be found in several stages of the production chain. For this reason, an alternative to reducing this contamination is ozonation. This study evaluated the reduction of ZEN in naturally contaminated whole maize flour (WMF) treated with 51.5 mg L-1 of ozone for up to 60 min. Pasting properties, peroxide value, and fatty acid composition were also evaluated. RESULTS: Zearalenone degradation in ozonated WMF was described by a fractional first-order kinetic, with a maximum reduction of 62.3% and kinetic parameter of 0.201 min-1 in the conditions that were evaluated. The ozonation process in WMF showed a decrease in the apparent viscosity, a decrease in the proportion of linoleic, oleic, and α-linolenic fatty acids, an increase in the proportion of palmitic acid, and an increase in the peroxide value. CONCLUSION: Ozonation was effective in reducing ZEN contamination in WMF. However, it also modified the pasting properties, fatty acid profile, and peroxide value, affecting functional and technological aspects of WMF. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of a decontamination method to inactivate Acidovorax citrulli on Cucurbitaceae seeds without loss of seed viability.

BACKGROUND: Acidovorax citrulli is a plant pathogen causing bacterial fruit blotch in Cucurbitaceae family. Applying high concentration of disinfectants to seeds containing plant pathogen may substantially decrease the germination rate of seeds. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a hurdle technology which can inactivate plant pathogens without decreasing seed viability. This study was conducted to develop a decontamination method to inactivate the plant pathogen Acidovorax citrulli on Cucurbitaceae seeds by sequential treatments with aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO2 ), drying, and dry heat. RESULTS: The maximum ClO2 concentration that did not lower germination rates of cucumber, honeydew melon, and watermelon seeds was ca. 100 µg mL-1 of ClO2 for 5 min. Optimal incubation conditions for drying seeds that had been treated with aqueous ClO2 were determined as 25 °C and 43% relative humidity (RH) for 48 h. The maximum dry-heat temperature that did not reduce germination rates of seeds, which had been treated with ClO2 and dried at 25 °C, was 60 °C at 43% RH for 24 h. When seeds containing A. citrulli (6.4-7.0 log CFU g-1 ) were treated with aqueous ClO2 (50 µg mL-1 , 5 min), dried (25 °C, 43% RH, 24 h), and dry heated (60 °C, 43% RH, 24 h), the pathogen was inactivated to below the detection limit from all three seed types (<-0.5 log CFU g-1 ). CONCLUSION: The decontamination conditions to inactivate A. citrullii from Cucurbitaceae seeds without decreasing the seed viability were determined (sequential treatment with ClO2 [50 µg mL-1 , 5 min], dried [25 °C, 43% RH, 24 h], and dry heated [60 °C, 43% RH, 24 h]). The results of this study may also be applicable to other plant pathogens on other types of seeds. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Decontaminating surfaces with atomized disinfectants generated by a novel thickness-mode lithium niobate device.

We evaluated the ability of a novel lithium niobate (LN) thickness-mode device to atomize disinfectants and reduce microbial burden on model surface materials. A small-scale plastic model housed the LN thickness-mode device and circular coupon surface materials including polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, stainless steel, borosilicate glass, and natural rubber. Coupon surfaces were coated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter baumannii), atomized with disinfectant solutions of varying viscosity (including 10% bleach, 70% ethanol (EtOH), or 25% triethylene glycol (TEG)) using the LN thickness-mode device, and assessed for surviving bacteria. The LN thickness-mode device effectively atomized disinfectants ranging from low viscosity 10% bleach solution or 70% EtOH to highly viscous 25% TEG. Coupons harboring MDR bacteria and atomized with 10% bleach solution or 70% EtOH were effectively decontaminated with ~ 100% bacterial elimination. Atomized 25% TEG effectively eliminated 100% of K. pneumoniae (CRE) from contaminated coupon surfaces but not MRSA. The enclosed small-scale plastic model established proof-of-principle that the LN thickness-mode device could atomize disinfectants of varying viscosities and decontaminate coupon surface materials harboring MDR organisms. Future studies evaluating scaled devices for patient rooms are warranted to determine their utility in hospital environmental decontamination.

Pre and post intervention study of antiblastic drugs contamination surface levels at a Pharmacy Department Compounding Area using a closed system drug transfer device and a decontamination process.

Assuring healthcare workers security on Hazardous Drugs (HD) compounding is critical in healthcare settings. Our study aims to demonstrate that the use of a Close System drug Transfer Device (CSTD) PhaSeal™ added to a decontamination process reduces antiblastic surface contamination levels in the Compounding Area (CA) of our Pharmacy Department (PD). We selected cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil and iphosphamide to be evaluated. Testing was carried out with a wipe kit and quantified by an independent laboratory. We defined four sampling times: baseline; just after a decontamination procedure, which was repeated weekly during the study; four months after introduction of CSTD PhaSeal™ for cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil compounding; and after eight months using CSTD PhaSeal™ for cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil and one month for iphosphamide compounding. There was a decrease at the number of positive samples at the beginning/end of the study for all the drugs tested: 28/15 for cyclophosphide, 29/23 for iphosphamide and 7/1 for 5-fluorouracile. Comparing to the baseline, median cyclophosphamide levels significantly decreased (p-value <0.001) at 4 and 8 months sampling time (baseline: 1.01 ng/cm2 to 0.06 ng/cm2 and 0.01 ng/cm2), and median iphosphamide levels significantly decreased (p < 0.001) at 8 months sampling time (baseline: 3.02 ng/cm2 to 0.06 ng/cm2). 5-Fluorouracil did not show significant differences between the sampling times (baseline: 0.09 ng/cm2 to 0.09 ng/cm2). We saw a significant increase at iphosphamide levels at 4 months sampling point, contrary to cyclophosphamide, which levels had decreased. The use of CSTD PhaSeal™ for iphosphamide compounding the last month was implemented for ethical reasons after this intermediate results review. Our study suggests that the use of CSTD PhaSeal™, adding to decontaminating procedures, significantly reduces antiblastic drug surface levels at the CA of our PD.

Decontamination and survival of Enterobacteriaceae on shredded iceberg lettuce during storage.

Enterobacteriaceae family can contaminate fresh produce at any stage of production either at pre-harvest or post-harvest stages. The objectives of the current study were to i) identify Enterobacteriaceae species on iceberg lettuce, ii) compare the decontamination efficiency of water, sodium hypochlorite (free chlorine 200 ppm), peroxyacetic acid (PA 80 ppm; Kenocid 2100®) or their combinations and ionizing radiation against Enterobacteriaceae on shredded iceberg lettuce and iii) determine the survival of Enterobacteriaceae post-treatment storage of shredded iceberg lettuce at 4, 10 and 25 °C, for up to 7 days. Klebsiella pneumonia spp. pneumonia, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Pantoea spp., Leclercia adecarboxylata and Kluyvera ascorbate were identified on iceberg lettuce. No significant difference (P≥ 0.05) among Enterobacteriaceae survival after washing with water or sanitizing with sodium hypochlorite or Kenocid 2100® (reduction ≤ 0.6 log CFU/g) were found. Combined sanitizer treatments were more effective against Enterobacteriaceae than single washing/sanitizing treatments. Sanitization of iceberg lettuce with combined washing/sanitizing treatments reduced Enterobacteriaceae by 0.85-2.24 CFU/g. Post-treatment growth of Enterobacteriaceae during storage on samples sanitized with sodium hypochlorite and Kenocid 2100® was more than on samples washed with water. The D10-value of Enterobacteriaceae on shredded iceberg lettuce was 0.21 KGy. The reduction of Enterobacteriaceae populations on iceberg after gamma radiation (0.6 KGy) was 3 log CFU/g, however, Enterobacteriaceae counts increased post-irradiation storage by 4-5 log CFU/g. Therefore, washing shredded iceberg lettuce with combined sanitizing treatment (sodium hypochlorite/sodium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite/Kenocid 2100®, or Kenocid 2100®/Kenocid 2100®) for total time of 6 min or exposing it to gamma irradiation (0.6 KGy) can decrease the risk of Enterobacteriaceae (reduction ≥ 2 log). Post-washing storage of sliced iceberg lettuce (4, 10, 25 °C) could increase the risk of Enterobacteriaceae as their counts increased during storage even at low temperatures.

Airborne Pathogens inside Automobiles for Domestic Use: Assessing In-Car Air Decontamination Devices Using Staphylococcus aureus as the Challenge Bacterium.

Family cars represent ∼74% of the yearly global output of motorized vehicles. With a life expectancy of ∼8 decades in many countries, the average person spends >100 min daily inside the confined and often shared space of the car, with exposure to a mix of potentially harmful microbes. Can commercial in-car microbial air decontamination devices mitigate the risk? Three such devices (designated devices 1 to 3) with HEPA filters were tested in the modified passenger cabin (3.25 m3) of a four-door sedan housed within a biosafety level 3 containment facility. Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) was suspended in a soil load to simulate the presence of body fluids and aerosolized into the car's cabin with a 6-jet Collison nebulizer. A muffin fan (80 mm by 80 mm, with an output of 0.17 m3/min) circulated the air inside. Plates (150 mm diameter) of Trypticase soy agar (TSA), placed inside a programmable slit-to-agar sampler, were held at 36 ± 1°C for 18 to 24 h and examined for CFU. The input dose of the test bacterium, its rate of biological decay, and the log10 reductions by the test devices were analyzed. The arbitrarily set performance criterion was the time in hours a device took for a 3-log10 reduction in the level of airborne challenge bacterium. On average, the level of S. aureus challenge in the air varied between 4.2 log10 CFU/m3 and 5.5 log10 CFU/m3, and its rate of biological decay was -0.0213 ± 0.0021 log10 CFU/m3/min. Devices 1 to 3 took 2.3, 1.5, and 9.7 h, respectively, to meet the performance criterion. While the experimental setup was tested using S. aureus as an archetypical airborne pathogen, it can be readily adapted to test other types of pathogens and technologies.IMPORTANCE This study was designed to test the survival of airborne pathogens in the confined and shared space of a family automobile as well as to assess claims of devices marketed for in-car air decontamination. The basic experimental setup and the test protocols reported are versatile enough for work with all major types of airborne human pathogens and for testing a wide variety of air decontamination technologies. This study could also lay the foundation for a standardized test protocol for use by device makers as well as regulators for the registration of such devices.

Microbiological interactions with cold plasma.

There is a diverse range of microbiological challenges facing the food, healthcare and clinical sectors. The increasing and pervasive resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics and health-related concerns with many biocidal agents drives research for novel and complementary antimicrobial approaches. Biofilms display increased mechanical and antimicrobial stability and are the subject of extensive research. Cold plasmas (CP) have rapidly evolved as a technology for microbial decontamination, wound healing and cancer treatment, owing to the chemical and bio-active radicals generated known collectively as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. This review outlines the basics of CP technology and discusses the interactions with a range of microbiological targets. Advances in mechanistic insights are presented and applications to food and clinical issues are discussed. The possibility of tailoring CP to control specific microbiological challenges is apparent. This review focuses on microbiological issues in relation to food- and healthcare-associated human infections, the role of CP in their elimination and the current status of plasma mechanisms of action.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water combined with chemical and physical treatments to decontaminate bacteria on fresh fruits.

Effect of sequential combination of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) with chemical and physical treatments on bacterial decontamination on fruits was investigated in this study. Effect of treatments on microbial and sensory quality was also analyzed after subsequent storage at 4 °C and room temperature (RT, 23 ± 0.15 °C). Whole apple and tomato fruits were inoculated with cocktail strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Uninoculated and inoculated fruits were washed first with distilled water (DW), calcium oxide (CaO), fumaric acid (FA), and SAEW at RT for 3 min. Combinations were performed by adding treatment one at a time to SAEW as following FA + SAEW, CaO + FA + SAEW, and CaO + FA + SAEW + ultrasonication (US) or microbubbles (MB). All the sanitizer treatments resulted in significant (p < 0.05) bacterial reduction compared to DW used as control. Increasing the treatments in combination from FA + SAEW to CaO + FA + SAEW + US resulted in an increased bacterial decontamination. The cavitation induced by ultrasonication in FA + SAEW solution resulted in a higher additive effect in decontamination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes compare to the agitation generated by microbubble generator in FA + SAEW solution. CaO + FA + SAEW and CaO + FA + SAEW + US were effective in improving the microbial safety and quality of apple fruits. However, additional treatment of US impacted on the quality of tomato fruits during storage at RT. Therefore, a combination of SAEW with sanitizers (CaO and FA) and mechanical force (Ultrasonication) has the potential to be used in postharvest sanitation processing in the fresh fruit industry.

Assessing user acceptance towards automated and conventional sink use for hand decontamination using the technology acceptance model.

Hand hygiene (HH) prevents harmful contaminants spreading in settings including domestic, health care and food handling. Strategies to improve HH range from behavioural techniques through to automated sinks that ensure hand surface cleaning. This study aimed to assess user experience and acceptance towards a new automated sink, compared to a normal sink. An adapted version of the technology acceptance model (TAM) assessed each mode of handwashing. A within-subjects design enabled N = 46 participants to evaluate both sinks. Perceived Ease of Use and Satisfaction of Use were significantly lower for the automated sink, compared to the conventional sink (p < 0.005). Across the remaining TAM factors, there was no significant difference. Participants suggested design features including jet strength, water temperature and device affordance may improve HH technology. We provide recommendations for future HH technology development to contribute a positive user experience, relevant to technology developers, ergonomists and those involved in HH across all sectors. Practitioner Summary: The need to facilitate timely, effective hand hygiene to prevent illness has led to a rise in automated handwashing systems across different contexts. User acceptance is a key factor in system uptake. This paper applies the technology acceptance model as a means to explore and optimise the design of such systems.

Testing and Inspecting Your Emergency Equipment.

Here's what the key eyewash and shower standard, ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014, says about weekly tests and annual inspections of the equipment.

'No touch' technologies for environmental decontamination: focus on ultraviolet devices and hydrogen peroxide systems.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article reviews 'no touch' methods for disinfection of the contaminated surface environment of hospitalized patients' rooms. The focus is on studies that assessed the effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV) light devices, hydrogen peroxide systems, and self-disinfecting surfaces to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). RECENT FINDINGS: The contaminated surface environment in hospitals plays an important role in the transmission of several key nosocomial pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp., Clostridium difficile, Acinetobacter spp., and norovirus. Multiple clinical trials have now demonstrated the effectiveness of UV light devices and hydrogen peroxide systems to reduce HAIs. A limited number of studies have suggested that 'self-disinfecting' surfaces may also decrease HAIs. SUMMARY: Many studies have demonstrated that terminal cleaning and disinfection with germicides is often inadequate and leaves environmental surfaces contaminated with important nosocomial pathogens. 'No touch' methods of room decontamination (i.e., UV devices and hydrogen peroxide systems) have been demonstrated to reduce key nosocomial pathogens on inoculated test surfaces and on environmental surfaces in actual patient rooms. Further UV devices and hydrogen peroxide systems have been demonstrated to reduce HAI. A validated 'no touch' device or system should be used for terminal room disinfection following discharge of patients on contact precautions. The use of a 'self-disinfecting' surface to reduce HAI has not been convincingly demonstrated.

Improvement of Biological Indicators by Uniformly Distributing Bacillus subtilis Spores in Monolayers To Evaluate Enhanced Spore Decontamination Technologies.

Novel decontamination technologies, including cold low-pressure plasma and blue light (400 nm), are promising alternatives to conventional surface decontamination methods. However, the standardization of the assessment of such sterilization processes remains to be accomplished. Bacterial endospores of the genera Bacillus and Geobacillus are frequently used as biological indicators (BIs) of sterility. Ensuring standardized and reproducible BIs for reliable testing procedures is a significant problem in industrial settings. In this study, an electrically driven spray deposition device was developed, allowing fast, reproducible, and homogeneous preparation of Bacillus subtilis 168 spore monolayers on glass surfaces. A detailed description of the structural design as well as the operating principle of the spraying device is given. The reproducible formation of spore monolayers of up to 5 × 10(7) spores per sample was verified by scanning electron microscopy. Surface inactivation studies revealed that monolayered spores were inactivated by UV-C (254 nm), low-pressure argon plasma (500 W, 10 Pa, 100 standard cubic cm per min), and blue light (400 nm) significantly faster than multilayered spores were. We have thus succeeded in the uniform preparation of reproducible, highly concentrated spore monolayers with the potential to generate BIs for a variety of nonpenetrating surface decontamination techniques.