About Us - Honeywell Sterilant Gases

Honeywell supplies non-flammable ethylene oxide sterilant blends for use by healthcare providers and manufacturers. Sold as Oxyfume® blends these gases have been proven to sterilize heat-sensitive medical devices with a higher margin of sterility assurance than any other method.

When You Need the Greatest Margin of Sterility Assurance

Oxyfume 2002 Sterilant is a blend of 10% ethylene oxide and 90% hydrochlorofluorocarbon. It was developed to replace "12/88" sterilant blends which were phased out in 1995. Oxyfume blends have been shown to provide more sterility assurance than any other low temperature sterilant gas. The following articles describe independent tests comparing several sterilant technologies:

Alfa, M.J. and others, "Comparison of Ion Plasma, Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide, and 100% Ethylene Oxide to the 12/88 Ethylene Oxide Gas Sterilizer," Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. 1996: vol.17: pp.92-100.

This article presents data to show that 12/88 provides greater margins of safety than do 100% ethylene oxide or hydrogen peroxide plasma units and it also demonstrates the need to properly clean flexible endoscopes prior to sterilization.

Alfa, Michelle J. and others, "Bacterial Killing Ability of 10% Ethylene Oxide plus 90% Hydrochlorofluorocarbon Sterilizing Gas," Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. 1997; vol. 18: p. 641-645.

This article presents data to show that Oxyfume 2002 performs as well as does the 12/88 sterilant.

To obtain complete copies of each article, please contact Honeywell and request Sterility Assurance Articles.

Controlling Infection in the Healthcare Center

Sterilization is just one of many techniques for controlling infections in a hospital environment. The following links highlight the growing concern for infections acquired in healthcare centers - Healthcare-Associated Infections[HAI]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]:

Healthcare-Associated Infections [HAI] CDC -Definitions of Nosocomial Infections Guidance on Reporting of Healthcare-Associated Infections Healthcare-Associated Infections - Surveillance Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations [JCAHO] Infection Control Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations [JCAHO] Sentinel Event Alert Emerging Infectious Diseases, July-September, 1998: Nosocomial Infection Update

(The Rate of Nosocomial [Healthcare Center ] Infections Grows 36% in the 20Year Period Ending 1995.)