Removal of bacterial endotoxins
Methods of cleaning a medical device are provided via exposing the medical device to a compressed CO 2 -based mixture. The compressed CO 2 -based mixture includes carbon dioxide, a surfactant, and water in the form of water-in-CO 2 microemulsions. In one particular embodiment, the ratio of water-to-surfactant mixed together in the CO 2 has a range of about 5-100 molecules of water per molecule of surfactant (e.g., about 5-30 molecules of water per molecule of surfactant).
1. A method of cleaning a medical device, the method comprising
loading the medical device into a chamber, and
exposing the medical device to a compressed CO 2 -based mixture within the chamber, the compressed CO 2 -based mixture comprising carbon dioxide, a surfactant, and water in the form of water-in-CO 2 microemulsions, wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture has a pressure of at least 400 psi.
2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture consists essentially of carbon dioxide, a surfactant, and water in the form of water-in-CO 2 microemulsions.
3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the ratio of water-to-surfactant mixed together in the CO 2 has a range of about 5-100 molecules of water per molecule of surfactant.
4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the ratio of water-to-surfactant mixed together in the CO 2 has a range of about 5-30 molecules of water per molecule of surfactant.
5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture has a temperature of about 0° to about 100° C.
6. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture has a temperature of about 20° C. to about 60° C.
7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant.
8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises fatty molecule.
9. The method as in claim 8 , wherein the surfactant comprises a derivized fatty molecule.
10. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the surfactant comprises a fatty molecule derivatized by alkoxylation.
11. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the surfactant comprises a fatty molecule derivatized by fluorination.
12. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture has a pressure of about 400 to about 600 psi.
13. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture has a pressure of about 800 to about 5000 psi.
14. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture is a liquid.
15. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture is a super critical fluid.
16. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture removes at least about 85% of bacterial endotoxin from the medical device.
17. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture removes at least about 95% of bacterial endotoxin from the medical device.
18. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the compressed CO 2 -based mixture removes at least about 99% of bacterial endotoxin from the medical device.
19. The method as in claim 1 , wherein exposing the exposing the medical device to a compressed CO 2 -based mixture within the chamber comprising introducing the compressed CO 2 -based mixture into the chamber.
20. The method as in claim 1 , wherein exposing the medical device to a compressed CO 2 -based mixture within the chamber comprises forming the compressed CO 2 -based mixture within the chamber.