• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1051-1059
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• 2007

Bioterrorism intends to cause mass casualties and social panic by means of malicious pathogenic microorganisms. Environmental decontamination becomes very important as a follow-up measure if that happens. Conventional methods for decontamination is that aqueous disinfectants are being sprayed for killing or not spreading microorganisms with the purpose of preventing infection. However, these procedures are not enough to perfectly sterilize space or surface inside of building, requiring additional measures such as surface disinfection or gas treatment methods. This article deals with the issues about the present decontamination procedures, global trends, in order to formulate suggestion for advanced environmental decontamination.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.211-216
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• 2021

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of disinfection using environmental disinfectant after having assessed the extent of contamination through microbial culture testing and the Adenosine Triphosphate Bioluminescence method among the environmental management evaluation methods used for the environment in the hospital ward of patients infected by multidrug-resistant organisms. This study was conducted with the patient wards isolated due to multidrug-resistant organisms as the environmental surface. Specimens were collected from five locations including infusion pumps, IV poles, bedside cabinets, bed railings, keyboards, and blood pressure measurement cuffs. ATP and microbial culture testing were executed prior to, immediately after, and five minutes post-disinfection. According to the result contamination of the infusion pumps was statistically significantly reduced after disinfection. In addition, the bacteria before and after disinfection reduced in IV pole, bed railing, and keyboard. That is, regular environmental surface disinfection can provide safer environments to patients against infection. Therefore, it is necessary to establish guidelines including disinfection methods and intervals for environmental surfaces by evaluating the persistence of disinfectants at various institutions in the future.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2006

The purposes of this study were firstly to identify the microbial species on gutta-percha (GP) cones exposed at outpatient clinics using polymerase chain reaction, and secondly to evaluate the rapid sterilization effect of two chemical disinfectants at chair side. It also evaluated the alteration of surface texture of GP cones after 5-min soaking into two chemical disinfectants. A total of 100 GP cones from two endodontic departments were randomly selected for microbial detection using PCR assay with universal primer. After inoculation on the sterilized GP cones with the same microorganism identified by PCR assay, they were soaked in two chemical disinfectants: 5% NaOCl and 2% chlorhexidine for 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes. The sterilization effect was evaluated by turbidity and subculture. The change of surface textures using a scanning electron microscope was also examined after 5 min-soaking in two chemical disinfectants. Results showed that four bacterial species were detected in 17 GP cones, and all the species belonged to the genus Staphylococcus. Two chemical disinfectants were effective in sterilization with just 1 minute soaking. On the SEM picture of NaOCl-soaked GP cone, a cluster of cuboidal crystals was seen on the cone surface. Present data demonstrate that two chemical disinfectants are useful for rapid sterilization of GP cone just before obturation at chair side, while CHX-soaked GP cone has cleaner surface without crystal precipitation than that of NaOCl-treated cone.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1020-1026
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• 2007

The control of pathogenic microorganisms is important issue in human environments, especially in surface area. However, surface disinfection has not been fully researched. In this study, the surface disinfection under UV irradiation was performed to investigate the quantitative kinetics for Bacillus subtilis spore inactivation in several experimental conditions, such as light intensity, temperature and surface roughness. This study reports that UV light would apparently inactivates the microorganisms and the required IT value for 2 log (99%) Bacillus subtilis spore inactivation was found to be 14.5 $mJ/cm^2$ in plain surface, as predicted by the Delayed Chick-Watson model. When UV was irradiated, there were no significant temperature effects. However, the experimental result shows that the more increased IT values are required at larger surface roughness.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.965-970
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• 2002

This study was conducted to investigate inhibition effect of sanitizers against E. coli and a hygienic condition on the surface of utensils and equipments which were used to food service. Samples swabbed using cotton were collected from the surface of stainless steel, wood and plastic utensils and equipments which were used to food service at four elementary schools in Busan and analyzed by measuring the total, coliform and Salmonella spp. count. Total plate counts were 10$^4$~10$^{5}$ CFU/100 cm$^2$ in most of utensils and equipments except plastic cutting board. There were lots of coliforms in slicer (2.8$\times$10$^1$CFU/100 cm$^2$) and peeler (1.1$\times$10$^1$CFU/100 cm$^2$). It was indicated that the sanitary condition of some utensils and equipments such as slicer and peeler should be improved promptly. To investigate inhibition effect of sanitizers against E. coli, the surface of utensils and equipments used in food service was treated at different concentration of sodium hypochlorite for 1 minute and 3 minutes, respectively. The plastic utensils and equipments were most effective aganist E. coli at 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite for 3 minutes. But the stainless steel and wood were most effective at 200 ppm sodium hypochlorite for 3 minutes. It was also treated with 70% ethyl alcohol for 10 seconds and 30 seconds, respectively. The stainless steel utensils and equipments were most effective aganist E. coli at 10 seconds, but plastic and wood were most effective at 30 seconds. Therefore, the results of this study indicated that standardization of disinfection method of utensils and equipments used in food service should be given and sanitation training for dietition should be conducted continuously.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2020

It is going to select one X-ray generating device for diagnosis in a radiography laboratory at K university in Gangwon-do to detect bacteria on the surface contamination of tables, IP cassettes, and lead gowns for medical radiation shielding and to inform students of the need for proper disinfection control and hand hygiene. Then disinfection was carried out with tissue, tissue cleaner and 70% alchol and immediately collected with sterile cotton swabs to assess the contamination distribution status and disinfection effects of the surface. The results of measuring the degree of contamination on the surface showed that the largest number of bacteria were detected in Apron, and the evaluation of the disinfection effects according to surface contamination showed a noticeable effect at 70% Alcohol in IP Cassette, and the disinfection effect was the same for Apron. Therefore, in order to prevent bacterial infections among students, basic hand washing and regular disinfection should be performed before the practice to prevent infection.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2011

This experimental design and response surface methodology (RSM) have been applied to the investigation of the electro-UV-ultrasonic complex process for the disinfection of E. coli in the water. The disinfection reactions of electro-UV-ultrasonic process were mathematically described as a function of parameters power of electrolysis ($X_1$), UV ($X_2$), and ultrasonic process ($X_3$) being modeled by use of the Box-Behnken technique, which was used for fitting 2nd order response surface model. The application of RSM yielded the following regression equation, which is empirical relationship between the residual E. coli number (Ln CFU) in water and test variables in coded unit: residual E. coli number (Ln CFU) = 23.69 - 3.75 Electrolysis - 0.67 UV - 0.26 Ultrasonic - 0.16 Electrolysis UV + 0.05 Electrolysis Ultrasonic + 0.27 $Electrolysis^2$ + 0.14 $UV^2$ - 0.01 $Ultrasonic^2$). The model predictions agreed well with the experimentally observed result ($R^2$ = 0.983). Graphical 2D contour and 3D response surface plots were used to locate the optimum range. The estimated ridge of maximum response and optimal conditions for residual E. coli number (Ln CFU) using 'numerical optimization' of Design-Expert software were 1.47 Ln CFU/L and 6.94 W of electrolysis, 6.72 W of UV and 14.23 W of ultrasonic process. This study clearly showed that response surface methodology was one of the suitable methods to optimize the operating conditions and minimize the residual E. coli number of the complex disinfection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.1265-1270
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• 2009

Pathogens contaminated on the surface of utensils could contribute to the occurrence of outbreaks due to cross-contamination to foods during the food preparation process. Therefore, the efficacy of chemical sanitizers (chlorine-based and alcohol-based commercial sanitizers) and dry-heat ($71^{\circ}C$) on inhibiting biofilms of five foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) on the surface of stainless steel and polypropylene were investigated in this study. Initial populations of pathogens were 8.8$\sim$9.3 and 9.4$\sim$10.3 log CFU/coupon on the surface of stainless steel and polypropylene coupon, respectively, and these populations were not significantly reduced when they were treated with water for 5 min at room temperature. Treatments with chlorine sanitizer and dry-heat were not effective on inactivating pathogens on the surfaces of stainless steel and polypropylene. In contrast, treatments with alcohol sanitizer were very effective on inactivating pathogens on the surfaced of stainless steel and polypropylene. Reduction levels ranged from 3.4 to 6.4 log and from 5.5 to 7.4 log CFU/coupon in stainless steel and plastic coupons, respectively. From these results, alcohol-based sanitizer could be used as a potential way for controlling microbial contamination on the surface of utensils, cooking equipment, and other related environments.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2022

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the disinfection of clinical ultrasound probes using the vapor fumigation method, which can quickly achieve high-level disinfection. Upon the inspection of the microbial contamination level of clinically used ultrasound probes, nine different types of bacteria were detected. The disinfection efficacy of 7.5% and 35% hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was comparatively tested for the detected microbes. The 35% H₂O₂ demonstrated superior efficacy per disinfection duration. No significant change was observed in the rubber component of the ultrasound probes as a result of the 35% H₂O₂ disinfection treatment. The probes were contaminated with the microbes detected in the microbial contamination level inspection and subsequently disinfected using the novel medical disinfector that utilizes the vapor fumigation method. As a result, the disinfection using the novel device achieved 100% eradication of the microbes from the probes.This study demonstrates that the novel vapor fumigation method-based disinfector provides a faster and more powerful means of disinfection than the conventional disinfection methods. Therefore, the novel disinfector has the potential to be used as a convenient ultrasound probe disinfector in clinical settings.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2008

The study was undertaken to provide information on the efficacy of sanitizers against bacteria with and without organic road dried on to food contact surfaces using the surface test method which EU and USA are currently implementing as one of their official test methods. Escherochia coli ATCC 10536 or Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 was inoculated on to food contact surfaces, such as stainless steel, polypropylene, and silicon, which was then treated with benzalkonium chloride, sodium hypochlorite, or ethanol as a sanitizer for 5minutes at $20^{\circ}C$. Results indicated that the type of surface had little affected the efficacy of various sanitizers. In addition, 200 ppm of benzalkonium chloride or 200 ppm of sodium hypochlorite showed no definite reduction of bacterial populations in the present of organic load, while 40% ethanol showed reduction to $4\;cfu\;\log_{10}$/carrier or more in viable count in the organic load.