Hello,
Can anyone explain me how to validate a decontamination process (OQ & PQ)? What is the difference between validation of sterilization and decontamination?
(we use sterilizer to decontaminate herbal starting materials.)
[quote=valtschaq]Hello,
Can anyone explain me how to validate a decontamination process (OQ & PQ)? What is the difference between validation of sterilization and decontamination?
(we use sterilizer to decontaminate herbal starting materials.)[/quote]
Dear Valtschaq,
Deconatmination is very vast term , it is defined as the removal of harmful substances such as noxious chemicals, harmful bacteria or other organisms, or radioactive material from exposed individuals, rooms and furnishings in buildings, or the exterior environment. However the sterilization is an act of destroying all forms of life on and in an object. A substance is sterile, from a microbiological point of view, when it is free of all living microorganisms.
as the above definition you can easily differentiaite the both terms, in your case you just want to free your herbal starting material from any other foriegn material (chemical, harm ful bacteria) and not just want to acchieve sterilization assurance level (micro biological) no conscerns of (physical or chemical contaminations)
for example in cephlosporin plant , the Ceph contact material must be decontaminated before leaving the area, whether breaking or opening the beta lactum ring this is an exmaple of chemical decontamination.
thanks