Ethylene oxide or ETO sterilizers are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry and health care institutions to sterilize products/materials sensitive to moisture or heat.

EtO sterilization is mainly used to sterilize pharmaceutical products that cannot support high temperature steam sterilization like devices and instruments that incorporate electronic components, plastic containers or plastic packaging. Pharmaceutical industry make use of varied sterilizers like CIP sytem or steam sterilizers. ETO sterilizer is one of the most popular pharmaceutical sterilizers.

What is Ethylene oxide?

Ethylene oxide or ETO is a chemical used in the pharma industry to sterilize medical devices. It is also used to make other chemicals. Ethylene oxide is colorless and considered a relatively toxic liquid and gas. It can be mixed in all proportions with water, ethers, alcohols, and other organic solvents.

ETO Sterilization in Pharmaceutical Industry

EtO gas filters packages as well as products to kill micro organisms that are left during production or packaging processes. This gas, mixed with air at a ratio of at least 3% EtO gas, forms an explosive mixture, potent in killing pathogens. Consisting of electrical heating jackets, these sterilizers provide excellent steam and temperature distribution in the heating chamber. The machines are also equipped with automatic temperature control mechanism, in which bacteria die from the coagulation or de-naturation of the protein constituents.

ETO Sterilization Process

A properly ETO sterilization equipment should be capable to handle every type of medical device and permeable packaging configuration. Most EtO sterilization process involves three different stages:

• Pre conditioning
• Sterilizer
• Degasser

Applications of ETO Sterilizers

• In hydration plants
• In plywood industries
• In food industries
• In pharmaceutical products, hospitals etc.