Uses of Autoclaves
Heat and pressure, when applied correctly, can yield a number of benefits. The driving forces behind autoclaves--heat and pressure--have been time-honored tools in the biomedical professions. But they also have uses in other applications. Does this Spark an idea?
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Definition
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An autoclave is a device that puts heat and pressure on the objects placed inside it. Autoclaves come in different shapes and sizes, from chambers big enough to walk into, to refrigerator- and oven-sized ones, to stovetop units that look like big stockpots.
According to Merriam-Webster Online, the word "autoclave" literally means "self-locking" referring to the mechanism that keeps the lid in place as the pressure is increased, creating steam. As pressure increases, the boiling point of water also increases, allowing for superheating of water without boiling.
Autoclaves in Biomedicine and Scientific Research
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The steam pressure generated by an autoclave is used to sterilize equipment such as surgical tools and lab gear. Metal and glass can be placed inside the autoclave. Plastic materials will likely deteriorate in an autoclave. Single-use syringes, for instance, which are part plastic and part metal, are not suitable for autoclaves.
An alternative to chemical sterilization, autoclaving at 120 to 130 degrees Celsius will kill most microbes.
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Autoclaves in Waste Disposal
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Autoclaves are also used to treat biohazardous and solid wastes before disposal. Biohazardous items may be autoclaved to rid them of pathogens like viruses or fungi. The heat and pressure of autoclaving also can reduce the bulk of trash and separate different materials.
Autoclaves in Cooking
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An autoclave in cooking is better known as a pressure cooker. The aim of pressure cooking, however, is primarily to reduce the cooking time necessary to prepare certain foods. Meats, for example can cook in a pressure cooker in a third of the time necessary to braise or bake to the same texture. Pressure cookers utilize the same technology as autoclaves, but unlike the devices used in the medical field, they can be of different sizes to fit on top of a stove or even a campfire.
Without the locking lid, the pressure cooker can be used like any regular saucepan or baking pan (albeit a little heavier).
Some of the same technology is used to a lesser degree in rice cookers and vegetable steamers.
Autoclaves for Home Canning
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Pressure canners are another type of autoclave used to sterilize food in the canning process. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pressure canning is the only accepted mode of canning low-acid food, which is vulnerable to contamination.
Other Uses for Pressure Cookers
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Just like the autoclaves in the medical fields, pressure cookers can be used to sterilize such things as glass baby bottles or tools used in cooking.
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