SterilizationQuestion 56 of 100
A liquid chemical sterilant such as peracetic acid is used to process a device. What is the key limitation of this method?
a.It cannot be used on immersible devices
b.It requires an aeration period of at least four hours
c.It produces a package that has a two-week shelf life
d.The device is processed wet and unwrapped, so it cannot be packaged or stored and must be used immediately
Explanation
Liquid chemical sterilization occurs in a chamber of circulating solution and the device emerges wet, meaning there is no barrier packaging and therefore no shelf life; the item is transferred aseptically and used right away. The method is intended specifically for immersible heat-sensitive devices. No aeration phase is involved, and the absence of packaging is precisely why storage is impossible.
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