ROSATOM continues to sterilise medical supplies in coronavirus fight

Society
e.erdenejargal@montsame.gov.mn
2020-05-18 12:57:13

ROSATOM is continuing to sterilise medical products to combat the COVID-19 coronavirus, having sterilised 19,647,723 medical masks as of the morning of May 14 (724,220 over the course of May 13 alone), as well as 292,500 portable lab kits to test for COVID-19 (26,000 over the course of May 13 alone).


Sterilisation is being carried out by Sterion JSC (a JSC Rusatom Healthcare subsidiary), which has concluded a contract with Delrus to sterilise more than 58 million masks. The company transitioned from a two-shift to a three-shift (i.e. round-the-clock) work schedule to up its capacity and process up to 10 million masks per week.

 

As part of its contract with HEM Ltd., Sterion JSC is also sterilising portable test kits and aims to have sterilised 150,000 units by the end of April 2020. JSC Sterion sterilises medical supplies using specialised equipment manufactured by ROSATOM's other enterprises, its main tool being the UEL 10 kW linear electron accelerator. Sterilisation up to a sterility assurance level (SAL) of 10-6 is achieved by means of targeting the medical kits, pre-loaded onto a conveyor belt, with a beam of accelerated electrons. This method allows for the safe sterilisation of medical supplies without the need to unpack them from the shipping containers provided by manufacturers. After being processed with a stream of accelerated electrons, the supplies immediately become usable and do not require degassing (as would have been the case with several other sterilisation methods) or any other additional actions before actual use. One box containing 980 masks can be processed in 37 seconds.

 

Background

These medical kits are designed to be used to collect biological samples and safely transport them to laboratories for in vitro diagnostics. Each sterile kit includes a test tube coated with the appropriate medium to maintain the integrity of viral samples (including COVID-19), a screw cap for a hermetic seal, and a probe for sampling. Hem Ltd. is Russia's first manufacturer of medical kits for viral testing. HEM is Russia's first manufacturer of test kits for viral infections and JSC Sterion is the country's first specialised sanitation centre operator. Sterion JSC, a JSC Rusatom Healthcare subsidiary, was created by ROSATOM alongside a private investor in February 2016. The enterprise is located in the Russian town of Lytkarino in the Moscow region on the production site of JSC NIIP - one of ROSATOM's research institutes - and provides sterilisation services for medical supplies. The Centre operates equipment manufactured by ROSATOM enterprises and also sterilises dressing materials, cotton wool, disposable underwear, and other medical supplies.

 

Source: Rosatom