X-ray irradiation for sterility in pharmaceutical companies
Shieldskin Scientific are a leading laboratory and cleanroom glove supplier that are planning to change the game for sterility within their product range. In 2023, Shieldskin Scientific plan to change their irradiating processes to X-ray irradiation after new technology has been developed.
X-Ray sterilisation is a clean process that doesn’t leave a toxic residue on the product or package being irradiated. This process first became of use commercially a little over 15 years ago and has been a game changer in the sterilisation industry. It is a more gentle form of irradiation than gamma irradiation, which uses cobalt. It doesn’t come with any emission dangers, making it an increasingly viable option for sterilisation.
See photo (right) for a descriptive overview of x-ray irradiation.
According to STERIS, the progress in X-ray technology means sterilisation contractors can now provide better irradiating services than they could with gamma irradiation with less impact to the product or package being sterilised due to decreasing exposure time. The deeper penetration allows larger packages and pallets to be sterilised. X-ray irradiation is safe, reliable and highly effective at treating a wide variety products with varying densities and materials. Additionally, improved Does Uniformity Ratio, or DUR for short, makes X-ray irradiation a viable processing option in the pharmaceutical industry.
See below for a comparison between the irradiation techniques that are currently used commercially.
If you would like to find out more about the processes and technology that we use to support the provision of sterile products, please email us at sales@cesltd.uk.com.
