Reduced EtO emissions to safeguard biomedical supply chains

总结/摘要 该项目的总体目标是保护国家的关键医疗供应链， 使用环氧乙烷（EtO）灭菌的器械。尽管寻找替代品 方法中，大部分一次性使用器械采用EtO灭菌。这些设备，包括 导管、心脏瓣膜和气管切开插管，对于常规和挽救生命的手术至关重要 和治疗。随着环氧乙烷排放法规变得更加严格，以保护工人和 社区免受有害接触，关键供应链存在重大风险， 设备将被破坏，进而威胁到国家的健康和福祉。具体 该项目的目标包括开发一种新型的光催化系统，以减轻环氧乙烷 在危险的水平，但难以解决现有的吸附和热催化 接近。具体而言，该技术解决了浓度在5 ppm和10 ppm范围内的问题。 在灭菌设施、运输和仓库中。这些“逃逸排放”是一种 这是总体排放量的重要贡献者，并直接影响工人和社区安全。 目标包括确定低浓度EtO（<5 ppm） 在99%的破坏和去除效率（DRE）的氧化，通过确定最佳 实现高DRE的光催化剂和参数空间。具体目标是：目标1） 优化100 CFM光反应器流体流量、光功率和99% EtO的催化剂参数 挥发性EtO浓度下的DRE，目标2）开发基于光反应器的100 CFM系统 目标1可以解决现实环境中的EtO排放，目标3）评价 Aim 2 100 CFM系统在灭菌机构中的性能，以及Aim 4）分析Aim 2系统运行寿命因素。各种计算流体动力学和非顺序 光学模型将被实验工作所利用。标准和尖端检测 将使用能够将EtO测量到低ppb和ppt范围内的方法， 实验计划

Summary/Abstract The overarching goal of this project is to protect the nation’s supply chain of critical medical devices that are sterilized using ethylene oxide (EtO). Despite the search for alternative approaches, a large fraction of single-use devices is sterilized with EtO. These devices, including catheters, heart valves, and tracheostomy tubes, are critical to routine and life-saving procedures and therapies. As regulations for EtO emissions become more stringent to protect workers and communities from harmful exposure, there is a significant risk that supply chains for critical devices will be disrupted, in turn threatening the health and well-being of the nation. The specific objectives of this project include the development of a novel photocatalytic system to mitigate EtO at levels that are hazardous but difficult to address with existing adsorptive and thermal catalytic approaches. Specifically, the technology addresses concentrations in the range of 5 ppm and below in sterilization facilities, transportation, and warehouses. These “fugitive emissions” are a significant contributor to overall emissions and directly impact workers and community safety. Objectives include determining operating conditions at which low concentrations of EtO (<5 ppm) are oxidized at 99% destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) by identifying the optimum photocatalyst and parameter space for achieving high DRE. The specific aims are: Aim 1) optimize a 100 CFM photoreactor fluid flow, optical power, and catalyst parameters for 99% EtO DRE at fugitive EtO concentrations, Aim 2) develop a 100 CFM system based on the photoreactor from Aim 1 that can address EtO emissions in a real-world environment, Aim 3) evaluate performance of the Aim 2 100 CFM system in a sterilization facility, and Aim 4) analyze the Aim 2 system operational lifetime factors. Various computational fluid dynamics and non-sequential optical models will be leveraged by the experimental efforts. Standard and cutting-edge detection approaches that are capable of measuring EtO into the low ppb and ppt ranges will be used in the experimental program.