The sterilization of surgical rubber gloves and plastic tubing by means of ionizing radiation

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Abstract
Threads were infected with the spores of four species of bacteria and put inside rubber gloves which were sealed into plastic bags and irradiated with electrons or gamma rays. A dose of 1·5 Mrad. killed approximately 99·99% of the spores of each species and a dose of 2·5 Mrad. appeared to give an adequate margin of safety for sterilization. Spores were similarly killed inside plastic tubing and within the lumen of hypodermic needles. The tensile strength of the gloves decreased with increasing doses of radiation so that the rough, solution-dipped gloves tested were significantly weaker after 8·0 Mrad., but the smooth gloves tested still complied with the British Standard after 30 Mrad. When vacuum-packed before irradiation, rough gloves were still satisfactory after 16 Mrad., and smooth gloves were apparently unaffected by 30 Mrad.; they could, therefore, be sterilized six and twelve times, respectively. Radiation gives dependable sterilization of rubber gloves, and the use of a sealed plastic package obviates subsequent contamination. The possibility of using disposable radiation-sterilized gloves is discussed, the use of a plastic radiation indicator suggested and the practical applications of radiation sterilization in the hospital considered.

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