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STERIS Gaseous Decontamination Technologies

Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP®)

STERIS’s VHP technology for biological decontamination has been in use for nearly two decades in sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing processing, clean room applications, and medical device/equipment sterilization. VHP, as controlled by STERIS proprietary equipment, is a non-condensing vapor. It is environmentally friendly and leaves no harmful residues; any VHP remaining after decontamination is readily transformed into oxygen and water.

VHP Decontamination
VHP Decontamination of Anthrax at
US Dept. of State Mail Center, Sterling, VA

In response to the anthrax attacks of October 2001, STERIS used its VHP technology in the successful decontamination of two U.S. government facilities - the General Services Administration mail handling facility in Washington DC, and the U.S. Department of State mail center in Sterling, VA (under a FIFRA Section 18 Crisis Exemption). The decontaminated facilities were subsequently approved for return to service.

STERIS’s VHP technology has been selected as the biological decontamination technology of choice by the Joint Strike Fighter Program.†

 
mVHP Decontamination
mVHP Decontamination Demonstration
in a C-141 Cargo Aircraft

Modified Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (mVHP®)

In collaboration with the U.S. Army’s Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), STERIS modified its VHP decontamination technology to provide effective decontamination for chemical agents.†* (While no biological claims are made, mVHP has been demonstrated in laboratory and field testing to have excellent biological efficacy.†)  An extensive testing program has included large chamber simulant, surrogate and live agent testing at ECBC and materials compatibility testing through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Additionally, mVHP decontamination has been demonstrated in field tests using a C-141 cargo aircraft and an F-16 tactical aircraft.†

†Test reports and data are available from government sources upon request.
*mVHP is not currently approved by applicable regulatory authorities, including U.S. EPA, for biological applications.