INFECTION CONTROL
Bioquell’s Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour systems and services reportedly eliminate 99.9999% of pathogens for a 6-log kill with the company’s 35% hydrogen peroxide solution.
schedules are unpredictable (such as in A&E), ensuring and maintaining a suitable level of hygiene can pose difficulties. Fortunately, there are a number of technologies that can be used – each one tailored to specific applications.
Shining a light on infection Detergent, disinfectant solution, and wipes specifically designed for use in hospitals are deployed for routine cleaning of commonplace touchpoints such as handles, rails, work surfaces, and some portable devices. They offer speed and convenience, but may not be suitable for large areas and more complex spaces. For these, more sophisticated approaches need to be considered, such as ultraviolet (UV) exposure and Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour technology.
UV light is used for infection control as
ultraviolet rays can kill microorganisms. However, not all wavelengths are applicable – only UV-C (with a wavelength
The pandemic has created new challenges for hospitals, on top of those already faced on a daily basis from the conventional catalogue of infectious diseases.
of 100-280 nm) has enough energy to be effective. UV is convenient, and it can kill many kinds of microorganisms, including drug-resistant bacteria. However, anything outside the light path doesn’t get treated. Your source of infection can quite literally hide in the shadows. Automated, self-driving UV technology has been developed which helps to overcome this challenge.
Quelling contamination For a thorough decontamination, hospitals are increasingly adopting Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour technology, which offers the same high level of contamination control as found in pharmaceutical cleanrooms. A range of systems is available – from simple ‘fogging’, through to more sophisticated vapour-based approaches, such as Ecolab’s Bioquell technology, which uniformly covers exposed surfaces, killing >99.9999% of spores, viruses, fungi, and bacteria, irrespective of their location.
Once the decontamination is complete the technology extracts the vapour, ensuring that the room is ready for reuse. The pandemic has created new challenges for hospitals on top of those already faced on a daily basis from the conventional catalogue of infectious diseases. Neither UV nor Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour treatment are instant processes, so it’s important for time to be allocated for their deployment. They are also not alternatives to disinfectant wipes and sprays; they are part of the wider cleanliness arsenal that all hospitals need to deploy. In order to achieve the best results, all the available methods are needed; used in combination they help keep hospitals clear from infections. A holistic approach needs to be developed that matches needs with processes. It’s very much ‘horses for courses’, but when the going gets heavy it’s most likely that UV and HPV technology will be the methods to help hospitals cross the line.
June 2022 Health Estate Journal 73
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