Decontamination

In the healthcare sector, and in everyday life, it is essential that surfaces such as door handles, light switches and furniture, textiles such as coats, workwear and bed linens, as well as medical devices and instruments that come into contact with patients, for example endoscopes, surgical instruments or implants, are reliably freed from pathogenic microorganisms. This is the only way to effectively prevent both the spread and the occurrence of infections.

The term decontamination refers to the removal, inactivation or destruction of pathogenic microorganisms on surfaces or devices to prevent their transmission and to ensure that the items are safe for handling, reuse or disposal. [1, 2] Decontamination can be achieved through physical or chemical procedures, and are classified as cleaning, disinfection or sterilization depending on their level of effectiveness. The effectiveness of such measures is evaluated based on the achieved microbial reduction and is expressed as a logarithmic (log₁₀) reduction factor according to various standards, for example DIN EN 1040 or DIN EN 13727. [2,3]

The removal of organic and inorganic materials, including visible soil, blood, proteins or microorganisms by using water and detergents in a manual or mechanical process is referred to as cleaning. Thorough cleaning of medical instruments is essential before subsequent disinfection or sterilization is performed, as it is necessary to achieve the required level of effectiveness. [2]