When I reach the age of 50 and start being subjected to more invasive yearly checkups, I sincerely hope the physician I see uses the best method possible to clean his endoscopy equipment. A rubber encased fiber-optic tube that has been intimately familiar with the interior of another patient is definitely not my idea of something that should just get a “quick rinse” before reuse. The Tristel Cl02 Generator operated in conjunction with an Innova E series reprocessing unit gives doctors confidence that the scope they are wielding is squeaky clean.

There are many different types of endoscopes on the market but they all have one thing in common. Their surfaces can become coated in biofilm (or slime in layperson’s terms) which is difficult to remove. Keeping equipment sterile and in good condition is to everyone’s advantage. If each scope is checked for leaks after every procedure (before it is loaded into the washer) there is no danger of the chlorine dioxide reaching the interior of the instrument. The exterior can be thoroughly decontaminated without damaging the scopes fine inner workings.

The positive impact of using a powerful cleanser like chlorine dioxide to ramp up the sterilization ability of a standard endoscope washer is obvious. This generator is effective, easy to use, and comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from today’s high tech manufacturers. A probe detects the level of Cl02 concentration, a printer maps the volume of water treated, and adjustable dispensing from 1-125 parts per million can be set to suit the job at hand.

LaboratoryTalk has the scoop on a new partnership formed between Tristel Technologies and Innova manufacturer BHT Hygienetechnik. Together they are bringing the highest quality of decontamination equipment to the NHS in Great Britain. Tristel is currently looking to expand its business to even more countries as additional distributors come on line.

Industrial Uses For Cl02 Equipment Abound

Since the first mass outbreak of Legionalla induced pneumonia in 1976, code inspectors have been keeping a close eye on water treatment processes in manufacturing facilities. Cooling towers are a prime location where this deadly bacteria can thrive. Since detection can mean quarantine and plant shut-down in extreme cases, infestation prevention is crucial. Regular treatment with Cl02 can keep the water in evaporative coolers pure.

Food processing equipment is another candidate for chemical treatment since anything we like to eat is also prime fodder for bacteria. Keeping contamination of produce and meat products to a minimum can help prevent the type of scary food recalls that have filled the news lately.

Municipal water disinfection for the public has been carried out with the assistance of chlorine dioxide for over 50 years in the U.S. and the U.K. and has a great track record. Growing concerns over the safety of non oxidized chlorine may see even more cities choosing Cl02 as the more healthful alternative. Viruses, bacteria, algae, pesticides and even some heavy metal contaminants can be successfully treated in our water supply through appropriate use of this chemical application.

On today’s terrorist infested battlefield, an improvised explosive device may be triggered at any moment sending shrapnel careening into the bodies of multiple soldiers at once. Medics on the scene need viable ways to save lives without risking infection from using dirty or contaminated medical equipment. A portable chemical sterilizer (PCS) can provide an adequate and timely solution.

Army medics may carry multiple sets of surgical instruments when operating in a forward combat environment. These instruments can only be used once until they have been properly cleaned. After use, they are normally sent back with the patient to the hospital for re-sterilization. When the supply of single use surgical sets are exhausted on site, no more field surgery can be performed until replacements are issued (this process can take hours). That can be a significant problem when multiple attacks occur in a short period of time.

Attempts at sterilization of equipment at far forward locations to provide immediate resupply have been made in the past. This normally requires the use of extremely heavy equipment with plenty of available power. The resources needed to operate an autoclave are not realistically available in combat or emergency situations. Irradiation and fumigation have been explored as options but they are not realistic for use in the field at this time without equipment that requires electricity. The PCS offers a lightweight and practical alternative.

Benefits Of This Innovation

This simple machine saves time, resources, and lives. You can conveniently carry it anywhere necessary. Whole surgical instrument trays can be thoroughly decontaminated in as little as 15 to 30 minutes. It is easily hand carried and requires no power source other than the chemical reagent provided. Operation is relatively quiet and it does not create a significant heat signature that could jeopardize troops by revealing their location.

Large quantities of germ killing chlorine dioxide are created when mixing the reagent with small amounts of water. This FDA approved chemical biocide agent destroys pathogenic organisms. The now germ free surgical instruments cleaned in this apparatus can immediately be reused to save another person’s life. With the proper equipment available in a timely manner and in a sanitary condition, doctors can accomplish the job that they were trained to do.

The PCS can be adapted to work during a wide variety of severe atmospheric conditions, especially when augmented with equipment normally issued to combat soldiers in the field. A special aluminum vessel has been developed to assure the proper temperature and pressure needed for complete sterilization. It has been thoroughly tested under real world conditions and proven to kill 100 percent of potentially harmful bacteria. The reliability of this new piece of technology is just simply amazing.

Patented by Christopher Doona and developed by the NSRDEC-ISR team of scientists specifically for the military, the PCS device has significant potential for civilian rescue applications when mass casualties are involved. To learn more about the details and history of this device I highly recommend that you visit the Natick Army website.

EcoQuest air cleaners use a three pronged approach to purification - ultraviolet radiation, ionization, and photo catalytic oxidation. UV rays are generated by a lamp in the machine and mimic the sun’s sterilization ability. Ionization is created by electrostatic filters which are electrically charged metal plates with a space between them for air to pass through. Charged (ionized) dust particles then cling to nearby surfaces rather than staying airborne effectively removing them from your breathing environment.

Photo catalytic oxidation is a somewhat newer technology and a little harder to explain. Oxides (like hydrogen peroxide and ozone) are useful cleaning agents since they kill germs fast. In this equipment various oxides are created by activating a rare-metal coated mesh with the UVX light. Bacteria, mold spores, and viruses that are pulled through the cleaning system are all exposed to the cleansers produced in this catalyzing process. According to the manufacturer these super-oxide ions keep on working after they have left the machine and continue to kill germs on contact.

Some consumers don’t care for the faint smell produced by ionizing machines but many people don’t notice an odor or become used to it quickly. The ozone created by this machine’s operation is well below minimum safe levels so users shouldn’t experience ill effects from exposure to it. Ionization of airborne particles will precipitate airborne dust onto your furniture and other surfaces so be prepared to whip out your cleaning rag if you use such a device on a regular basis.

This EcoQuest technology is advertised as being “the same type used in space by NASA”. Of course, you could say the same thing about Tang. However, the number of organizations using these units is impressive and likely to continue growing. The U.S. Government and the Red Cross are on the list of customers.

What Do The Tests Show?

Interestingly, the laboratory testing performed at Kansas State University so far appears to have focused on the reduction of microbes on surfaces rather than particles in the air. The results using RCI ActivePure technology were excellent and achieved a reduction in live contaminant populations on stainless steel test surfaces of over 90% after a 24 hour treatment period.

Some of the more famous casualties in this experiment were bacteria like Strep, E. coli and anthrax as well as mold spores and the avian influenza virus H5N8. It will be interesting to see if additional testing later this year will show changes in actual air quality since the company is specifically targeting the consumer market as an alternative to HEPA filter systems.

EcoQuest is apparently being careful not to make prohibited claims since a federal court order in 2000. If you visit LaboratoryTalk you can read the press release and view the fine print. The FDA hasn’t evaluated any test results and review can be a lengthy process so you may need to do your own research before investing in one of these machines. The KSU study is certainly a good start so stay tuned for more exciting developments.

People sometimes say that the three most important factors for success in business are location, location, and location. This doesn’t just apply to the lot where you lease office space or construct a building. Where you choose to install your lab equipment within the facility is just as critical. A lack of preplanning can make future renovations much harder than they need to be. Getting a brand new large capacity autoclave inside the third story of an existing structure is a good example of the consequences of haphazard interior design. At first glance, the poorly planned location seems to be an insurmountable obstacle. The machine is too large to be carried through a stairwell or by an elevator, but ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’.

Such was the situation at Teesside University, where there was no lift large enough to replace the old autoclave with the new one they recently bought. Whoever originally developed the plans for the building, which included the lab on the third floor, didn’t foresee the need to ever replace their built in large capacity autoclave. Some autoclave vendors would simply “leave the new one at the building’s doorstep” and “run away”. They would not view the precarious situation as their problem. In contrast, Priorclave decided to take their customer service to the next level by installing the new autoclave properly where it was originally intended.

This took some planning and a little bit of ingenuity. A full installation survey found that the only safe way to get the unit in place on the third floor was to employ a heavy crane to lift it onto a large custom built scaffold. From there, the autoclave could be rolled into place through large shutter doors along the outside wall. The old autoclave would be removed through the same process in reverse.

Fortunately they were able to install the apparatus safely and without too much problem. The circumstance could have been much worse. Imagine if someone had to replace such a large piece of equipment on the 103rd story of the Burj Dubai (currently the world’s largest structure sill under construction). Things might turn out differently.

Practical Experience Makes A Difference

That is why coordinating with an autoclave manufacturer such as Priorclave during the design phase for a new laboratory is crucial. Some people make the mistaken assumption that a closet sized autoclave will somehow last as long as the building. So, they don’t make any allowance for its replacement. Expert advice is usually helpful to guard against this and other possible pitfalls. Click on PharmaceuticalTechnology for additional details.

Such counsel is especially useful coming from PriorClave, a company that has been in existence since 1988 and was founded by a group of laboratory specialists. Their core business is the steam autoclave and they do business all over the world. Over the years they have kept up with all regulations and standard requirements for their industry. Their business has been so successful that they have expanded their manufacturing facility at least twice. They currently have factory space totaling over 2500 square meters.

Lucrative government contracts are a prized windfall for certain companies. When those types of contracts are gained in tandem with ones secured in private industry, major growth in revenue tends to follow. The Sterilization Systems Group (SSG) is a division of Environmental Tectonics Corp (Amex: ETC) and they focus on such a strategy. The company recently generated valuable revenue for its parent organization through the receipt of 3 new contracts. One of the deals is repeat business with the Air Force for the M138 Portable Field Sterilization System.

The other two new contracts are for bulk sized steam sterilization systems from separate life science research organizations. These are totally new clients who want equipment custom built on site. One deal concerns building an autoclave to be put together in sections and certified on location. The other is a sterilization system that includes a patented roller-locking door which possesses the industry’s smallest ‘footprint’ to chamber volume ratio. For details on this announcement, click on iStockAnalyst.

ETC has many divisions within the company that provide different products and services; but they all have a few things in common. They generally deal with technology and government contracts - usually with the one or more parts of the Department of Defense. The company as a whole custom designs, develops, installs, and maintains aircrew training systems, disaster management training and services, entertainment products, sterilizers (both steam and gas), environmental testing products, hyperbolic chambers, and related products for domestic and international aerospace and biomedical markets.

The company was founded in 1969 by the current President and CEO, William F. Mitchell. One of the first products produced by ETC was a high altitude, decompression chamber for the U.S. Navy in 1971. This product laid the foundation for the BioMedical Systems, Sterilization Systems, and Testing and Simulations Systems divisions within the business model. Since then, the company has substantially diversified its efforts and has delved into a variety of related technology markets.

ETC As A Public Company

Environmental Tectonics Corp (ETC) is microcap stock that trades on the Amex market with a market cap of only about 12.65 million dollars with only 9.01 million shares outstanding. This public company currently has their low price per share at levels not seen since the fall of 1995. Its price has fallen substantially over the years from as high as 17.25 dollars per share in January of 2000 to only 1.40 at the end of October of 2008. Now it appears to be finally forming a base for a possible price floor.

The stock is relatively cheap. Fundamentals for the company are slowly improving. If support levels from 1995 of about 1.25 per share can hold, then look for a significant multi-year reversal in trend due to increased revenue growth with an outlook for eventual profitability.

When the general market begins to recover, this stock is one to watch for signs of a reversal. A lot may depend upon who is elected as U.S. President and the ultimate fate of Defense spending. Regardless, private organizations and industry could potentially fill the revenue gap.

ETC could very well bottom out with the rest of the market and may even out-perform expectations. The volume of trades is currently too low to gauge any convincing investor sentiment; but announcing these 3 new contracts is a good start. Future prospects depend upon how soon the company turns a profit again. That depends upon the strength of near term contracts.