| NCHN | AUTOCLAVE | Autoclave (Steam) - by pressure and heat | Autoclave (Steam) is a method of sterilisation that utilizes pressure and heat to achieve a sterile environment. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | BETA_RADIATION | Beta radiation - can change the structure of struck molecules | Beta particles are able to penetrate living matter to a certain extent (radiation intensity from a small source of radioactive material decreases as one over the distance squared) and can change the structure of struck molecules. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | CHLORINE_DIOXIDE | Chlorine dioxine - gaseous sterilization systems | Gaseous chlorine dioxide systems for sterilization of healthcare products are not mutagenic or carcinogenic in humans. As the chlorine dioxide concentration increases, the time required to achieve sterilization becomes progressively shorter. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | DRY_HEAT | Dry heat sterilization - static-air type or forced-air type | This method should be used only for materials that might be damaged by moist heat or that are impenetrable to moist heat (e.g., powders, petroleum products, sharp instruments). There are two types of dry-heat sterilizers: the static-air type and the forced-air type. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | ELECTRON_BEAM_IRRADIATION | Electron beam irradiation - inactivates microorganisms | A commercially successful technology for sterilizing a variety of disposable medical devices with a wide range of densities. The e-beam inactivates micro-organisms either by causing microbial death as a direct effect of the destruction of a vital molecule or by an indirect chemical reaction. This is the same mechanism as in gamma irradiation, and the dose required is the same. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | ETHANOL | Ethanol - chemical sterilisation method | A chemical sterilisation method that utilizes ethanol as the sterilisation method. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | ETO_ETHYLENE_OXIDE | Ethylene oxide - gas treatment for heat sensitive materials such as plastics, optics and electrics | A gas that is commonly used to sterilize objects sensitive to temperatures greater than 60 °C such as plastics, optics and electrics. Ethylene oxide treatment is generally carried out between 30 °C and 60 °C with relative humidity above 30% and a gas concentration between 200 and 800 mg/L for at least three hours. Ethylene oxide penetrates well, moving through paper, cloth, and some plastic films and is highly effective. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | FORMALDEHYDE | Formaldehyde - chemical sterilisation agent | A chemical sterilisation agent used to provide sterilisation. Items being sterilized are usually immersed in the formaldehyde for a pre determined time period. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | GAMMA_RADIATION | Gamma radiation - for disposable medical equipment (e.g. needles, cannulas and IV sets) | Gamma rays are very penetrating and are commonly used for sterilisation of disposable medical equipment, such as syringes, needles, cannulas and IV sets. Gamma radiation requires bulky shielding for the safety of the operators; they also require storage of a radioisotope (usually Cobalt- 60), which continuously emits gamma rays (it cannot be turned off, and therefore always presents a hazard in the area of the facility). | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | GLUTARALDEHYDE | Glutaraldehyde - chemical liquid sterilisation | A colourless liquid with a pungent odour used to sterilize medical and dental equipment. It is also used for industrial water treatment and as a chemical preservative. Glutaraldehyde is an oily liquid at room temperature (density 1.06 g/mL), and miscible with water, alcohol, and benzene. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | HIGH_INTENSITY_OR_PULSE_LIGHT | High intensity or pulse light - brief intense pulses or flashes of white light to kill microorganisms | Pulsed light is a non-thermal sterilization method that uses brief intense pulses or flashes of white light to kill micro-organisms. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | HIGH_LEVEL_DISINFECTANT | High level disinfectant - inactivates all microbial pathogens, except a few bacterial endospores | A germicide that inactivates all microbial pathogens, except small numbers of bacterial endospores. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | HYDROGEN_PEROXIDE | Hydrogen peroxide - chemical sterilisation agent | Another chemical sterilizing agent. It is relatively non-toxic once diluted to low concentrations (although a dangerous oxidizer at high concentrations), and leaves no residue. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | LIQUID_CHEMICAL | Liquid chemical - to kill microorganisms | A sterilization process that uses liquid chemical as its sterilant to kill microorganisms. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | MICROWAVE_RADIATION | Microwave radiation - e.g. for soft contact lenses, dental instruments, dentures, milk, and urinary catheters | Microwaves are used in medicine for disinfection of soft contact lenses, dental instruments, dentures, milk, and urinary catheters for intermittent self-catheterization. However, microwaves must only be used with products that are compatible (e.g., do not melt). Microwaves are radio-frequency waves, which are usually used at a frequency of 2450 MHz. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | NITROGEN_DIOXIDE | Nitrogen dioxide radicals - from dinitrogen tetroxide dimers to kill microorganisms | A sterilization process that uses nitrogen dioxide radicals that are formed from dinitrogen tetroxide dimers to kill microorganisms. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | NOT_STERILISED | Not sterilised - by the manufacturer | The product is not sterilised by the manufacturer | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | OZONE | Ozone - toxic and unstable gas that must be produced on-site | Is a method often times used in industrial settings to sterilize water and air, as well as a disinfectant for surfaces. It has the benefit of being able to oxidize most organic matter. It is a toxic and unstable gas that must be produced on-site, so it is not practical to use in many settings. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | PERACETIC_ACID | Peracetic acid - organic peroxide with strong oxidizing potential | A chemical in the organic peroxide family. It is a bright, colorless liquid with a characteristic acrid acetic acid type odor. It has a strong oxidizing potential, is highly corrosive, and can explode at temperatures exceeding 110 °C. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | PLASMA | Plasma - hydrogen peroxide vapour to sterilize heat sensitive equipment | A method of sterilisation that utilizes hydrogen peroxide vapour to sterilize heat sensitive equipment. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | SOUND_WAVES | Sound waves of more than 20,000 cycles/second | Sound waves of frequency >20,000 cycle/second kills bacteria and some viruses on exposing for one hour. High frequency sound waves disrupt cells. They are used to clean and disinfect instruments as well as to reduce microbial load. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | SUPERCRITICAL_CARBON_DIOXIDE | Supercritical carbon dioxide - with a small percentage of additive to kill microorganisms | A sterilization process that uses supercritical carbon dioxide in combination with a small percentage of additive to kill microorganisms. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | UNSPECIFIED | Unspecified - by the manufacturer | Trade Item Manufacturer has not specified the sterilisation method(s) of the trade item. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
| NCHN | UV_LIGHT | UV light - for surfaces and transparent objects | Useful for sterilisation of surfaces and some transparent objects. Many objects that are transparent to visible light absorb UV. UV irradiation is routinely used to sterilize the interiors of biological safety cabinets between uses. | | | | | | | 23.05.2025 | relevant | relevant | relevant |
