| An autoclave is a laboratory or medical device where | | | | patients with tuberculosis, pneumonia, and other |
| things are placed to be sterilized or disinfected. Take | | | | diseases; hence, objects used to patients get a |
| note that there are many ways to sterilize materials | | | | generous supply of infectious bacteria and viruses. |
| and sterilization is important for reasons we have | | | | These cannot be killed by conventional means and, in |
| known even back in school. Everything gets | | | | many instances, to eliminate these microorganisms |
| contaminated with microorganisms instantly and even | | | | thoroughly, more effective methods must be |
| exposure to air contaminates materials. At home | | | | employed. Autoclaving is one. It uses |
| there are different ways to disinfect objects and | | | | high-temperature water or steam that is much hotter |
| you have heard of the use of alcohol, hydrogen | | | | than boiling water. How is this achieved when water |
| peroxide, and boiling water. Solutions previously | | | | temperature never rises above 100ËC? The |
| mentioned are rather crude and do not guarantee | | | | secret, as you have learned in high school physics, is |
| the elimination of every kind of microorganism. Take | | | | to increase air pressure. The principle says that the |
| note further that pathogenic bacteria and viruses | | | | higher the air pressure, the higher the boiling point of |
| have specific ways to resist simple methods of | | | | water goes. In autoclave devices, water can reach |
| disinfection. In laboratories, boiling of water, for | | | | temperatures of more than 120ËC before |
| instance, does not ensure a hundred percent | | | | boiling. This superheated water is quite effective in |
| sterilization. Medical facilities and emergency rooms | | | | killing several disease causing bacteria, which are not |
| get regular exposure to infectious agents from | | | | killed through boiling and other ordinary means. |