What Is Ethylene Oxide?

- Uses, Safety & Technology

This lesson will discuss how a type of gas, called ethylene oxide, can sterilize equipment. We'll talk about the way
by which it does this, what its advantages are, as well as the dangers it poses to human health if used improperly.

Uses of Gas
Gas is a state of matter. It can be used for breathing, as in the case of air, or for cooking as we do
with methane. Gas is found in the atmosphere above us and in the ground below us. It's
everywhere. Its uses are many. It can even be used for the purposes of sterilization, or the killing
o of all living microbes on inanimate objects, as you'll discover in this lesson.

However, as with methane gas or even oxygen, it's not without its pitfalls, namely, the ability of this
particular gas to explode if not used properly.

Ethylene Oxide Gas Sterilization

The gas I'm talking about is called ethylene oxide. This is a type of ammable and explosive gas
that is used for the sterilization of medical equipment and devices.

The way by which ethylene oxide kills o microbes is through a reaction known as alkylation. This
is a process whereby a hydrogen atom is replaced by an alkyl group. The details of that are best left
for a chemistry lesson, but I'll explain what that means in the context of something like a bacterium
the gas ends up killing.

Let's pretend our bacterium is a car. The car is made up of many di erent parts that help it move.
These parts include the engine and its wheels. If you replace the smooth, round, rubber wheels
with something like square wooden pegs, the car wouldn't be able to move very well. Similarly, if
you alkylate, or replace, an important component of a bacterium's proteins or genome, it won't be
able to function.

This alkylation takes place in a very special chamber into which ethylene oxide is pumped into.
Following treatment with the ethylene oxide gas, the material being sterilized is aerated out in
order to get rid of any excess gas. This is super important, for if this doesn't occur, some serious
side e ects may occur. These side e ects will be discussed in just a little bit.

The Benefits of Using Ethylene Oxide Gas

There are several advantages to using ethylene oxide gas for sterilization.
First of all, it is a sterilant, meaning it is something that kills every living microbe, including very
di cult to kill bacterial spores, on an inanimate object or surface.

Secondly, it can be used to sterilize equipment that is heat-sensitive. For example, using a machine
called an autoclave to sterilize something like a heat-sensitive plastic would be a very bad idea.
That's because an autoclave is like a really hot sauna. Like a cube of ice, a piece of heat-sensitive
plastic would simply melt in the high temperature the autoclave produces.

Ethylene oxide gas, on the other hand, uses lower temperatures than an autoclave and can
therefore safely sterilize heat-sensitive equipment.

Furthermore, ethylene oxide is better for moisture-sensitive equipment, as well. Again, an

autoclave, which uses moist heat at a high temperature to sterilize things, would ruin moisture
sensitive equipment, but ethylene oxide can be safely used for materials and equipment that are
sensitive to moisture.

Imagine putting a piece of paper into a wet, hot autoclave. It would wrinkle and sag. Well, if you
want to avoid ruining moisture-sensitive equipment, using ethylene oxide gas would be a far wiser
choice than using an autoclave.

The Dangers of Using Ethylene Oxide Gas

While using this gas for moisture or heat-sensitive equipment would be safe for that equipment, it
wouldn't necessarily be safe for humans. There are several reasons for this.

First of all, if ethylene oxide gas is improperly used, it can catch re or explode. While that re or
explosion would probably kill all living microbes, it would also destroy any equipment it was trying
to sterilize and would kill you as well. What use is broken, sterilized equipment, let alone when
there's no one left to use it?

In addition, if you expose yourself to too much of this gas, you can su er a wide range of problems,
ranging from vision loss and neurological disabilities to abortion and cancer.

Finally, if your health isn't important to you and you're the type to be more concerned about
money instead, then you should keep in mind that ethylene oxide is a relatively expensive and
lengthy way to sterilize equipment.

Lesson Summary
Nonetheless, do recall that ethylene oxide, a type of ammable and explosive gas that is used for
the sterilization of medical equipment and devices, is an excellent sterilant, meaning it is
something that can kill every living microbe, including very di cult to kill bacterial spores, on an
inanimate object or surface.

The way by which ethylene oxide kills o microbes is through a reaction known as alkylation. This
is a process whereby a hydrogen atom is replaced by an alkyl group.
While this gas is great for the sterilization of temperature and moisture-sensitive equipment, it can
cause all sorts of side e ects, ranging from vision loss to cancer, if used improperly.

Learning Outcomes
After watching this lesson, you will be able to:

Describe ethylene oxide's ability to sterilize equipment

Compare ethylene oxide sterilization with autoclave sterilization

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using ethylene oxide as a sterilant

De ne alkylation