Major articleOzone gas is an effective and practical antibacterial agent
Section snippets
Equipment
The laboratory test chamber was a molded polycarbonate box (4.47 ft3 volume) with a transparent plastic front window that could be lifted to allow access to samples. Within the test chamber was a small ozone generator (Treated Air Systems, Surrey, BC, Canada). Relative humidity and temperature were recorded by a portable hygrometer (cat no. 12777-834; VWR Scientific, Ontario, Canada). Humidity was provided in the form of a deionized sterile water mist using a spray bottle.
The ozone generator
Results
All 15 bacteria were initially evaluated for susceptibility to standard ozone doses in the laboratory test system. Replicate 100-uL samples of the bacterial suspensions at the 2.0 McFarland standard (6 × 108 cfu/mL in PBS) were dried onto sterile plastic trays in a biosafety cabinet and then exposed to a standard ozone dosage of 25 ppm for 20 minutes. Preliminary tests had demonstrated that the minimum requirements for efficient inactivation of bacteria were an ozone dosage of 20 ppm for 20
Discussion
Nosocomial infection is considered to more than double the mortality and morbidity risks of any hospitalized patient. An estimated 1 in 10 patients admitted to the hospital will acquire an infection after admission, resulting in substantial morbidity and economic cost to the health care system.18 Patients with hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) stay longer, require additional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and are at increased risk for other medical complications.18 Approximately 1/3
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrate that ozone at 25 ppm and RH 90% is bactericidal (> 3 log10 reduction in bacterial cfu/mL) to strains of bacteria that commonly cause nosocomial infection, and the bactericidal effect was accomplished with a short exposure (20 minutes). Thanks to the highly efficient scrubber system built into the generator, gas removal after exposure is fast and efficient. Because it is used in rooms that are sealed off for the duration of treatment, there is no danger of toxicity due
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