Single-injection vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide decontamination of isolators and clean rooms

The decontamination of aseptic work environments has been practiced in the healthcare industry for decades. Prior to 1990, formaldehyde vapor was commonly used throughout the world for decontamination of clean rooms. The carcinogenicity associates with formaldehyde and its rather limited efficacy brought the use of formaldehyde to a halt. Formaldehyde, like nearly all gas or vapor decontamination methods, requires elevated humidity for maximum effectiveness, and unless clean rooms were designed specifically with formaldehyde “fogging” in mind, treatment was conducted at ambient humidity.