Supercritical CO2 sterilization for surgical gowns: From disposal towards reuse

Abstract

Surgical gowns (SG) are one of the most used personal protective equipment. As they are mainly intended for single use, they give rise to an enormous amount of waste, posing a major environmental challenge. Sterilization plays an essential role to allow the reuse of such textiles, therefore reducing their massive disposal. Commonly used techniques, such as gas plasma, gamma rays and ethylene oxide, can present important drawbacks regarding biological safety, ecotoxicity, and potential damage to materials. Supercritical CO2 (scCO2) sterilization emerges as a promising eco-friendly alternative due to the bactericidal properties of CO2. This work investigates the effectiveness of scCO2 sterilization with disposable surgical gowns (DSG), with hydrogen peroxide as an additive, achieving the required Sterility Assurance Level of ≤ 10−6. Physical properties and performance of DSG were evaluated after 1, 5, and 10 cycles of scCO2 sterilization and compared to those treated under ethylene oxide and gamma irradiation treatments. Results suggest that scCO2 is a viable, green and reliable option for sterilizing DSG, offering environmental advantages and preserving the functional performance of the material.