A new era for sterilization based on supercritical CO₂ technology.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Green Chemistry
• Sterilization Technologies

Background:

• Modern biomedical materials exhibit increasing complexity and sensitivity.
• Conventional sterilization methods (steam, ethylene oxide, gamma irradiation) can compromise material integrity and functionality.
• There is a need for innovative, benign processing technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review experimental protocols for supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) sterilization.
• To assess the efficacy of scCO2 sterilization against various microbial strains and materials.
• To evaluate the application of scCO2 sterilization in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of scCO2 sterilization protocols.
• Analysis of experimental data on efficacy against diverse microorganisms.
• Assessment of scCO2 compatibility with sensitive biomaterials.

Main Results:

• scCO2 sterilization achieves required regulatory sterility levels.
• This method preserves the original properties of sensitive materials.
• Efficacy demonstrated across various microbial strains and material types.

Conclusions:

• Supercritical carbon dioxide sterilization is a green and sustainable alternative to conventional methods.
• It effectively sterilizes sensitive biomedical, pharmaceutical, and food materials without damage.
• scCO2 sterilization addresses unmet needs for advanced biomaterials and medical devices.