Influence of Usage History, Instrument Complexity, and Different Cleaning Procedures on the Cleanliness of Blood-Contaminated Dental Surgical Instruments

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 702-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Wu ◽  
Xuefen Yu

Our study assessed the factors that influence the resistance of blood residues on dental surgical instruments to washer-disinfector-based cleaning procedures in a clinical setting. The use of 2 additional cleaning methods—presoaking and scrubbing by hand—and the use of newer and/or less structurally complex instruments significantly increased the efficacy of washer-disinfector cleaning.

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 330-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
AGNES KILONZO-NTHENGE ◽  
FUR-CHI CHEN ◽  
SANDRIA L. GODWIN

Much effort has been focused on sanitation of fresh produce at the commercial level; however, few options are available to the consumer. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of different cleaning methods in reducing bacterial contamination on fresh produce in a home setting. Lettuce, broccoli, apples, and tomatoes were inoculated with Listeria innocua and then subjected to combinations of the following cleaning procedures: (i) soak for 2 min in tap water, Veggie Wash solution, 5% vinegar solution, or 13% lemon solution and (ii) rinse under running tap water, rinse and rub under running tap water, brush under running tap water, or wipe with wet/dry paper towel. Presoaking in water before rinsing significantly reduced bacteria in apples, tomatoes, and lettuce, but not in broccoli. Wiping apples and tomatoes with wet or dry paper towel showed lower bacterial reductions compared with soaking and rinsing procedures. Blossom ends of apples were more contaminated than the surface after soaking and rinsing; similar results were observed between flower section and stem of broccoli. Reductions of L. innocua in both tomatoes and apples (2.01 to 2.89 log CFU/g) were more than in lettuce and broccoli (1.41 to 1.88 log CFU/g) when subjected to same washing procedures. Reductions of surface contamination of lettuce after soaking in lemon or vinegar solutions were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from lettuce soaking in cold tap water. Therefore, educators and extension workers might consider it appropriate to instruct consumers to rub or brush fresh produce under cold running tap water before consumption.


2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (7) ◽  
pp. 1248-1260
Author(s):  
BINAIFER BEDFORD ◽  
GIRVIN LIGGANS ◽  
LAURIE WILLIAMS ◽  
LAUREN JACKSON

ABSTRACT Preventing the transfer of allergens from one food to another via food contact surfaces in retail food environments is an important aspect of retail food safety. Existing recommendations for wiping and cleaning food contact surfaces is mainly focused on preventing microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, from contaminating foods. The effectiveness of these wiping and cleaning recommendations for preventing the transfer of food allergens in retail and food service establishments remains unclear. This project investigated (i) allergen removal from surfaces by wiping with paper wipes, terry cloth, and alcohol quaternary ammonium chloride (quat) sanitizing wipes; (ii) cleaning of allergen-contaminated surfaces by using a wash–rinse–sanitize–air dry procedure; and (iii) allergen transfer from contaminated wipes to multiple surfaces. Food contact surfaces (stainless steel, textured plastic, and maple wood) were contaminated with peanut-, milk- and egg-containing foods and subjected to various wiping and cleaning procedures. For transfer experiments, dry paper wipes or wet cloths contaminated with allergenic foods were wiped on four surfaces of the same composition. Allergen-specific lateral flow devices were used to detect the presence of allergen residues on wiped or cleaned surfaces. Although dry wipes and cloths were not effective for removing allergenic foods, terry cloth presoaked in water or sanitizer solution, use of multiple quat wipes, and the wash–rinse–sanitize–air dry procedure were effective in allergen removal from surfaces. Allergens present on dry wipes were transferred to wiped surfaces. In contrast, minimal or no allergen transfer to surfaces was found when allergen-contaminated terry cloth was submerged in sanitizer solution prior to wiping surfaces. The full cleaning method (wash–rinse–sanitize–air dry) and soaking the terry cloth in sanitizer solution prior to wiping were effective at allergen removal and minimizing allergen transfer. HIGHLIGHTS


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Kamila Gruskevica ◽  
Linda Mezule

The use of ceramic membranes in the treatment and processing of various liquids, including those of organic origin, has increased tremendously at the industrial level. Apart from the selection of the most appropriate membrane materials and operational conditions, suitable membrane cleaning procedures are a must to minimize fouling and increase membrane lifespan. The review summarizes currently available and practiced non-reagent and cleaning-in-place methods for ceramic membranes that are used in the treatment of organic liquids, thus causing organic fouling. Backflushing, backwashing, and ultrasound represent the most often used physical methods for reversible fouling treatment. At the same time, the use of alkalis, e.g, sodium hydroxide, acids, or strong oxidants are recommended for cleaning of irreversible fouling treatment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Marie V. Zemke ◽  
Jay Neal ◽  
Stowe Shoemaker ◽  
Katie Kirsch

Purpose This study aims to propose that there may be a marketable segment of guests who are willing to pay a premium for guestrooms that are cleaned using enhanced disinfection techniques beyond the normal room cleaning procedures. Room cleanliness is important to hotel guests. Some hotel brands currently offer allergy-free rooms, charging a premium for this service. However, no hotel brands currently serve the market that is willing to pay more for enhanced disinfection. This exploratory study investigates whether there is such a segment and, if so, what price premium these customers are willing to pay for enhanced disinfection. Design/methodology/approach Survey methods were used to determine the consumer’s perceptions of hotel guestroom cleanliness; the effectiveness of traditional and enhanced cleaning methods; and willingness to pay for enhanced guestroom disinfection. Findings Younger travelers and female travelers of all ages may be willing to pay a significant price premium for enhanced disinfection of a hotel guestroom. Research limitations/implications The survey instrument was administered via the Internet, limiting the sample. The study participants were not asked about hotel brand; thus, the results could not be analyzed by brand or service level. Originality/value Past research focuses only on traditional cleaning methods. This article provides a template for the hotel industry to explore the feasibility of offering enhanced cleanliness as a revenue-generating amenity.


2013 ◽  
Vol 548 ◽  
pp. 317-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santiago Pozo ◽  
Cristina Montojo ◽  
Teresa Rivas ◽  
Ana Jesús López-Díaz ◽  
Maria Paula Fiorucci ◽  
...  

This paper presents the evaluation of the efficacy of the removal of biological crust from ornamental granites. The removal was made applying different procedures and the efficiency was evaluated by means of optic and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transformed Infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and colour measures (CIE-L*a*b* colour spaces). Among the cleaning procedures, an abrasive cleaning method, several chemicals-based methods applied by brush in aqueous media (using acids, bleach, benzalkonium chloride, ethanol and others) and laser (Nd:YVO4 at 355 nm) were used. This last method was previously found very efficient in removing graffiti and biological crusts in other granites. The present study was conducted on a granite of great commercial value from Galicia (NW Spain) and traditionally used on construction of historical buildings in this region and abroad. Slabs of this granite with an intense biological crust were used. Before the cleaning procedures, the biological crust was characterized by the same techniques to establish the comparison between Pre and Post cleaning. The efficacy in the crust removal was evaluated with optic and electronic microscopy; the best cleaning methods were the acid-based methods and laser. In both cases, no biological remains were found on the cleaning surfaces. Hydrogommage (the abrasive cleaning method) obtained intermediate results, and benzalkonium chloride cleaning showed the worst effectiveness. FTIR technique helped to identify the presence of organic signals of biological crust; and also, it provided useful information on the contaminant remains on the stone after cleaning and on mineral damages. Colour differences after cleaning gave additional information about the efficiency of the cleaning.


2020 ◽  
pp. 107815522095186
Author(s):  
Naiara Telleria ◽  
Nerea García ◽  
Jaione Grisaleña ◽  
Naiara Algaba ◽  
Eider Bergareche ◽  
...  

Introduction Low surface contamination levels of hazardous drugs in compounding areas can be used as indicators of exposure and efficacy of cleaning procedures. We report the efficacy results of the KIRO® Oncology self-cleaning automated compounding system for decontamination of cytotoxic drugs, assessed in an oncology health center using a sanitizing method and an alkaline method. Methods The study was conducted for six-days over a three-week period. A mixture with known levels of 5-fluorouracil, ifosfamide, cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine, etoposide, methotrexate, paclitaxel, docetaxel and carboplatin was added to the KIRO® Oncology’s compounding area surface before each self-cleaning method was used. Contamination levels were determined, with a surface wipe sampling kit, at the end of the self-cleaning process. Results Background surface contamination for quantified levels of cytotoxic drugs during routine use of KIRO® Oncology was below limit of quantification (<LOQ) for all drugs, except for carboplatin, which has a very low LOQ (0.2 ng/sample). The quantified drug levels detected on surface wipe samples after self-cleaning using both methods in the KIRO® Oncology’s compounding area surface sections were all <LOQ when spiking with 1 ng/cm2 (ten times the ‘safe’ reference value), except for carboplatin (alkaline method only), although its levels were still below the ‘safe’ reference value (0.1 ng/cm2). For surface contamination levels when spiking with 100 ng/cm2, both self-cleaning methods had decontamination efficacies >99.8% for all cytotoxic drugs analyzed. Conclusion This study provides evidence on the efficacy of the KIRO® Oncology automatic self-cleaning system for surface area decontamination during the preparation of cytotoxic drugs.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 352
Author(s):  
Maria Dolores Masia ◽  
Marco Dettori ◽  
Grazia Maria Deriu ◽  
Sabina Bellu ◽  
Lisa Arcadu ◽  
...  

Achieving sterilization by adopting proper practices is essential to ensure that surgical instruments do not transmit microorganisms to patients. As the effectiveness of sterilization mandates effective cleaning, it is necessary to verify the success of cleaning procedures. In this study, we used the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence method for assessing the efficacy of the manual cleaning procedure during the reprocessing of reusable surgical instruments. The ATP bioluminescence assay was performed on 140 surgical instruments of 12 different types, both before being cleaned (baseline) and after each of the cleaning procedures (i.e., decontamination, manual washing, drying, and visual inspection). For each instrument, two swabs were used as follows: one to sample the entire surface (test point 1) and the other to sample the most difficult part of the surface to clean (test point 2). Overall, for each type of instrument, there was a decrease in contamination ranging from 99.6 to >99.9% (log reduction from 2.40 to 3.76). Thus, in order to standardize the assessment of cleanliness, it may be useful to introduce the bioluminescence method into the daily routine or, at least, at regular time intervals as a complementary check combined with visual inspection. This would allow real-time verification of the achievement of an adequate level of cleanliness.


Author(s):  
C.M. Sung ◽  
M. Levinson ◽  
M. Tabasky ◽  
K. Ostreicher ◽  
B.M. Ditchek

Directionally solidified Si/TaSi2 eutectic composites for the development of electronic devices (e.g. photodiodes and field-emission cathodes) were made using a Czochralski growth technique. High quality epitaxial growth of silicon on the eutectic composite substrates requires a clean silicon substrate surface prior to the growth process. Hence a preepitaxial surface cleaning step is highly desirable. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of surface cleaning methods on the epilayer/substrate interface and the characterization of silicon epilayers grown on Si/TaSi2 substrates by TEM.Wafers were cut normal to the <111> growth axis of the silicon matrix from an approximately 1 cm diameter Si/TaSi2 composite boule. Four pre-treatments were employed to remove native oxide and other contaminants: 1) No treatment, 2) HF only; 3) HC1 only; and 4) both HF and HCl. The cross-sectional specimens for TEM study were prepared by cutting the bulk sample into sheets perpendicular to the TaSi2 fiber axes. The material was then prepared in the usual manner to produce samples having a thickness of 10μm. The final step was ion milling in Ar+ until breakthrough occurred. The TEM samples were then analyzed at 120 keV using the Philips EM400T.


1977 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Ratusnik ◽  
Roy A. Koenigsknecht

Six speech and language clinicians, three black and three white, administered the Goodenough Drawing Test (1926) to 144 preschoolers. The four groups, lower socioeconomic black and white and middle socioeconomic black and white, were divided equally by sex. The biracial clinical setting was shown to influence test scores in black preschool-age children.


Author(s):  
Diane L. Kendall

Purpose The purpose of this article was to extend the concepts of systems of oppression in higher education to the clinical setting where communication and swallowing services are delivered to geriatric persons, and to begin a conversation as to how clinicians can disrupt oppression in their workplace. Conclusions As clinical service providers to geriatric persons, it is imperative to understand systems of oppression to affect meaningful change. As trained speech-language pathologists and audiologists, we hold power and privilege in the medical institutions in which we work and are therefore obligated to do the hard work. Suggestions offered in this article are only the start of this important work.


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