Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008
Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008 [PDF - 948 KB]
Table 4. Comparison of the characteristics of selected chemicals used as high-level disinfectants or chemical sterilants.
| HP (7.5%) | PA (0.2%) | Glut (≥2.0%) | OPA (0.55%) | HP/PA (7.35%/0.23%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HLD Claim | 30 m @ 20°C | NA | 20-90 m @ 20°-25°C | 12 m @ 20°C, 5 m @ 25°C in AER |
15m @ 20°C |
| Sterilization Claim | 6 h @ 20° | 12m @ 50-56°C | 10 h @ 20o-25°C | None | 3 h @ 20°C |
| Activation | No | No | Yes (alkaline glut) | No | No |
| Reuse Life1 | 21d | Single use | 14-30 d | 14d | 14d |
| Shelf Life Stability2 | 2 y | 6 mo | 2 y | 2 y | 2 y |
| Disposal Restrictions | None | None | Local3 | Local3 | None |
| Materials Compatibility | Good | Good | Excellent | Excellent | No data |
| Monitor MEC4 | Yes (6%) | No | Yes (1.5% or higher) | Yes (0.3% OPA) | No |
| Safety | Serious eye damage (safety glasses) | Serious eye and skin damage (conc soln) 5 | Respiratory | Eye irritant, stains skin | Eye damage |
| Processing | Manual or automated | Automated | Manual or automated | Manual or automated | Automated |
| Organic material resistance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OSHA exposure limit | 1 ppm TWA | None | None6 | None | HP-1 ppm TWA |
| Cost profile (per cycle)7 | + (manual), ++ (automated) |
+++++ (automated) | + (manual), ++ (automated) |
++ (manual) | ++ (manual) |
Modified from Rutala 69.
Abbreviations: HLD=high-level disinfectant; HP=hydrogen peroxide; PA=peracetic acid; glut=glutaraldehyde; PA/HP=peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide; OPA =ortho-phthalaldehyde (FDA cleared as a high-level disinfectant, included for comparison to other chemical agents used for high-level disinfection); m=minutes; h=hours; NA=not applicable; TWA=time-weighted average for a conventional 8-hour workday.
1number of days a product can be reused as determined by re-use protocol
2time a product can remain in storage (unused)
3no U.S. EPA regulations but some states and local authorities have additional restrictions
4MEC=minimum effective concentration is the lowest concentration of active ingredients at which the product is still effective
5Conc soln=concentrated solution
6The ceiling limit recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists is 0.05 ppm.
7per cycle cost profile considers cost of the processing solution (suggested list price to healthcare facilities in August 2001) and assumes maximum use life (e.g., 21 days for hydrogen peroxide, 14 days for glutaraldehyde), 5 reprocessing cycles per day, 1-gallon basin for manual processing, and 4-gallon tank for automated processing. + = least expensive; +++++ = most expensive
