What is the PASS?
The PASS (Portable, Automated Sterilization System) is a transportable, easy to use, power-efficient device that can sterilize medical equipment in developing areas where electricity is scarce or non-existent. Lack of sterilization equipment in such areas results in high infection rates due to bacterial contamination. The PASS will be compact enough to allow for easy transportation, while reducing the sterility assurance level (SAL) of syringes and other surgical tools to safe standards.
The PASS will employ vacuum conditions to vaporize peracetic acid (PAA) at room temperature. Peracetic acid is classified as a novel method of sterilization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Diffusion and air circulation will enable the vaporized peracetic acid (VPA) to quickly and effectively reach the interior and exterior surfaces of needles and other small medical equipment.
Existing Devices
- Still in development and not on the market
- Uses Nitrogen Dioxide gas to sterilize medical tools
- Runs on completely renewable energy
- Portable
- A company that employs VPA sterilization
- Doesn’t operate on a small scale
- Doesn’t use alternative energy
- Is not portable (see below)
Rice University’s “Sterile Box”
- Senior project – not in further development or on the market
- Shipping container with cleaning/sterilization stations inside
- Runs with solar panels
- Not portable
