Recommended autoclave cycle is 121°C, 15 psig (1 bar) for 20 minutes. All items should be carefully cleaned before autoclaving to prevent baking contaminants onto the surface of the plastic. After cleaning, all items should be rinsed thoroughly in distilled water before autoclaving.
Q. What plastics are autoclavable?
Polypropylene (PP) and polypropylene copolymer (PPCO) containers can be autoclaved many times. Fluoropolymer products, such as Teflon PFA, FEP, or ETFE, can be autoclaved without problems.
Table of Contents
- Q. What plastics are autoclavable?
- Q. Can Polyethylene be autoclaved?
- Q. Are polypropylene bottles autoclavable?
- Q. What items Cannot be autoclaved?
- Q. Can HDPE plastic be autoclaved?
- Q. Does polypropylene crack in cold weather?
- Q. Is polycarbonate plastic autoclavable?
- Q. What plastics Cannot be autoclaved?
- Q. Can bleach be autoclaved?
- Q. How do you sterilize plastic ware?
- Q. How long does autoclave sterilization last?
Q. Can Polyethylene be autoclaved?
Make sure your plastic bag or container is suitable, since not all plastics can be autoclaved (i.e., polyethylene or HDPE). They can melt and ruin the autoclave chamber. Ensure that contaminated materials are free of sharp objects that may puncture bags.
Q. Are polypropylene bottles autoclavable?
Polypropylene containers are autoclavable. The recommended autoclave cycle for empty containers is 121°C at 15 psi for 20 minutes. Be sure to follow all autoclave instructions provided with your PP labware products or contact Nalgene technical support for detailed autoclave instructions for your specific products.
Q. What items Cannot be autoclaved?
As a general rule of thumb, you CANNOT autoclave materials that are contaminated with solvents, radioactive materials, volatile or corrosive chemicals, or items that contain mutagens, carcinogens, or teratogens.
Q. Can HDPE plastic be autoclaved?
HDPE is not autoclavable, even though the maximum use temperature (120°C) is very close to the typical autoclave temperature (121°C).
Q. Does polypropylene crack in cold weather?
One example: polypropylene, an inexpensive material often used in containers, toys, outdoor furniture, and recycling bins has a Tg of between -20 and 0 degrees C, so it can easily lose its molecular mobility and become shatter-prone on a winter day.
Q. Is polycarbonate plastic autoclavable?
Polycarbonate is autoclavable, but autoclaving will cause the material to lose strength. Repeated autoclaving will shorten the life of reusable polycarbonate products such as bottles and centrifugeware.
Q. What plastics Cannot be autoclaved?
Polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon, acrylic, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lab ware and polyurethane tubing are not autoclavable under any conditions.
Q. Can bleach be autoclaved?
Never autoclave anything that contains bleach or been exposed to bleach. When autoclaved, this produces toxic products that quickly corrode the autoclave. If autoclaving waste, use the proper waste baq. Red bags are ONLY for Medical Waste, and can only be used in properly certified autoclaves.
Q. How do you sterilize plastic ware?
Additionally, both rubbing alcohol and grain alcohol kill bacteria on plastic surfaces. Soak the plastic: For complete plastic sterilization soak the plastic container in a bleach-water solution of about 5 to 10 percent bleach. Bleach will not take long to disinfect, so the soaking time is minimal.
Q. How long does autoclave sterilization last?
In general, each cycle will take between 60 to 90 minutes. The sterilization duration varies, but is typically around 30 minutes, and the remaining cycle time is split between heating up and cooling down the chamber. On what is an autoclave effective?
