GAMMA IRRADIATION OF DISPOSABLE SYRINGES USING COBALT-60 SOURCE

Abstract

Sterilization at the time of manufacturing is important step in production of disposable syringes. It removes harmful microbes present on disposable syringes. Dry heating, autoclave, ethylene oxide and wet heating are Conventional methods of sterilization and are not much effective as some organisms show resistance against them. Determination of the microbial load from disposable syringes and gamma radiation dose optimization was the objective of this study. Bio burden from disposable syringes was analyzed by direct plating method using specific media. Microbes isolated in present study were coagulase negative Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus roseus, Staphylococcus aureus. After bio burden detection samples were sent to Pakistan Radiation Service (PARAS) for ?-radiation dose optimization by cobalt-60. Samples were irradiated at 25 kGy, 30 kGy and 35 kGy. No microbial growth was seen at 35 kGy which shows absence of contamination and makes disposable syringes safe for use.