The Importance of the Autoclave Biological Filter

When you use an autoclave to sterilize your medical equipment or instruments, you don’t think too much about it. That is, you might not really think about what all goes into it. The singular functions of many individual parts that all come together to make the machine. You need to have a complete sterilization system to get that trademark sterilization power. And that system includes a properly functioning biological filter.

The importance of the biological filter cannot be understated. As it helps filter out any dirt, debris or pathogens coming in the autoclave. The biological filter also helps to keep your autoclave clean and working properly by collecting any particles that might be in the air as they pass through the chamber.

There are many parts of an autoclave that all come together to create a sterilization powerhouse. And today we’d like to talk about one of those parts,  and highlight the importance of the biological filter. The biological filter is a very important part of the autoclave, as it helps filter out any dirt, debris or pathogens coming or going from the autoclave. And if you have any questions, contact us at 704-966-1650, option 3 for tech support. 

What Is a Biological Filter?

The biological filter is a part of your autoclave that works like a sieve. It catches large particles and debris so they don’t make their way into your medical instruments. Also, it helps prevent contamination from entering your surgical suite or operating room. Simply by filtering out any bacteria or viruses that may be present in the air around you. It filters the air that enters the chamber when the batch is being dried and ensures that the air doesn’t get contaminated. 

The biological filter works by creating an environment inside of it that can be harmful to germs and other microorganisms. The environment in this case is usually very high heat and pressure, which kills off most germs and microbes over time. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Bacteria can survive under these conditions if they are protected from desiccation by a biofilm on either their surface or inside their cell walls. But not all of it. This is what prompts the changing of the filter. 

The biological filter is made with layers of different materials that work together to attract and trap larger particles. And then those layers are put together with the other two components to make up the filter. These three components are:

• An outer casing (also called a support container)
• An inner casing (also called a diffusion chamber)
• A filter medium (the material that traps pollutants)

Final Thoughts

When it comes down to the intricacies of the autoclave, you might not think twice about it. Until you have to change the parts out or something goes wrong of course. But as for specifics, it might not be the first thing on your mind sometimes, but that’s what we’re here for. To tell you anything you need to know or to give you a reminder of something you might be familiar with. And that goes for the biological filter as well. A tool in your autoclave that is one of the most important parts to have. Keeping what you put in the autoclave sterilized, and making sure that when it’s done that no contaminants escape the chamber. WE hope we did a good job of showing you the importance of the biological filter. 

If you have any questions about our biological filters or any other parts of your autoclave, we can help. Please don’t hesitate to call us at 704-966-1650 or visit our website at statimusa.com. Or you can contact us using the links below. 

As always if you have any questions about this process or anything else please feel free to contact us and take advantage of our “FREE TECH SUPPORT.”

We also offer FREE VIRTUAL TECH SUPPORT to “See and Talk” with a “Real Time Live Technician” for any problems you may be in need of help with.

You can also use our “FREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM”. Take the guesswork and worrying about what unit is due for maintenance and which maintenance cycle it is time for. We will keep track of all your autoclaves and let you know when it’s time for anything.

We have a variety of biological filters to choose from on our site here.