08 TECHNICAL INFORMATION | PRODUCT SECTION
Before purchasing a washer-disinfector, you must first be clear which laboratory glassware, and how much of it, requires reprocessing on a day-to-day basis within the laboratory. Once the machine size is specified, the appropriate accessories can be individually selected. The accessories include trolleys and inserts for secure support of the laboratory glassware. Inserts are primarily for holding wide-necked laboratory glassware. Special injector trolleys are offered to thoroughly clean laboratory glassware with a narrow internal diameter. These couple directly to the water supply of the machine and thus ensure that even internal cleaning of the laboratory glassware is correctly carried out. This system ensures that even difficult-to-access points are cleaned, which would be very difficult, or even impossible, to clean manually.
Phases of machine-based reprocessing
Machined-based reprocessing comprises cleaning, rinsing, disinfection (if necessary) and drying of the laboratory apparatus. The following figure shows a typical programme cycle for laboratory glassware reprocessing.
75 80 90 100
(°C)
70 60 50 40 30 20
(min.)
Programme Universal
Cleaning Cleaning removes dirt from the surfaces. At this stage, process chemicals (e.g. cleaning agents, surfactants, emulsifiers, neutralizers) are used. Cleaning may comprise several programme blocks, such as pre-rinse, cleaning, neutralisation. Rinsing During rinsing the dissolved dirt and the process chemicals used are rinsed off. Rinsing can comprise a number of individual programme blocks. The choice of water quality (e.g. tap water, deionised water, ultrapure water) depends on the application (e.g. organic/inorganic analysis, microbiology). Disinfection During disinfection, infectious contamination is killed/inactivated to such a degree that the laboratory glassware no longer represents an infection risk. On the one hand, disinfection serves to protect personnel within laboratories who work with infectious contamination. On the other hand disinfection prevents transfer of germs from samples and preparations in medical laboratories, hygiene institutes, pharmaceutical laboratories and the food and cosmetic industries. Thus hygienic, problem-free working is guaranteed. Drying The washer-disinfectors have, dependent on model and construction, an active hot- air dryer which permits not only drying of the external surfaces, but also drying of narrow diameter laboratory glassware. Also laboratory glassware of complex shape is reliably dried using hot-air drying. To effectively protect the laboratory glassware against dust particles and microorganisms, the drying air is passed through a HEPA filter.
Example Pre-rinse: cold water without process chemicals Cleaning: cold or hot water with alkaline cleaning agent Neutralisation: cold or hot water with acidic neutralisation
Example Rinse I: cold water Rinse II: deionised or ultrapure water Flushing: deionised or ultrapure water at 75°C
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