FRA UNHO F ER I NSTIT U T E F OR OR G A N IC E L E C TRON ICS, ELECTRON BEA M A N D PLA SM A TECH N OLOGY FEP

1 Syringe nest in sterile pharmaceutical packaging

2 Hip implant

STERILIZATION
DISINFECTION
WITH ACCELERATED ELECTRONS
The Fraunhofer FEP has used electron

The materials and products can be proces-

beams for many years to induce controlled

sed at atmospheric pressure and maintain

chemical and biological effects on material

their shape stability and product-specific

surfaces. One already established process is

properties. The electron beam can also

seed treatment using a beam of low-energy

penetrate packaging and sterilize the whole

electrons, resulting in destruction of the

product, so making sterilization processes

DNA of harmful microorganisms.

much simpler.

Low-energy electrons also allow the

In contrast to other sterilization methods,

Christoph Kleemann

surfaces of medical products (implants,

which use radiation, sterilization/disinfection

Phone +49 351 2586-479

instruments), packaging, and foods and

using low-energy electrons (up to max.

animals feeds to be sterilized or disinfected.

300keV) only requires a simple, local radia-

Even sensitive materials and products can

tion shield. This means that the equipment

Frank-Holm Rgner

be effectively disinfected or sterilized within

is compact and can be easily integrated in-

Phone +49 351 2586-242

a short time (milliseconds up to seconds)

line into existing process chains. A portable

using this environmentally friendly and

system is also conceivable and such a system

gentle technology.

has been successfully used to treat seeds.

Fraunhofer Institute for

Organic Electronics, Electron Beam
and Plasma Technology FEP
Winterbergstr. 28
01277 Dresden
Contact persons

www.fep.fraunhofer.de

Applications

Properties

Sterilization:

Disinfection and pathogen destruction:

packaging materials and packaging

systems

sterile surfaces

seeds of cereal crops and vegetables

sterile interfaces

foods such as cereals, herbs/spices, fruit

sterile products

web materials

disinfected products

and, eggs

fluids

plants and parts of plants

implants and surgical materials

destruction of microbes in solid and

medical instruments and equipment

liquid waste

pharmaceutical raw materials

single-use articles
natural products
partial sterilization using miniature unit

Our offer
sterilization or disinfection using low-

maintenance of shape stability and

energy electrons, gas plasmas and UVC

product-specific properties
processing times ranging from a few

beams
very suitable for sensitive products

milliseconds to several seconds

recognized microbiological tests

processes which meet the highest

standards (FDA, DIN ISO 11137)

low costs for large product quantities

compact units suitable for in-line use or

and materials such as plastics, organic

batch systems

materials and fabrics with/without

multilayers, ceramics, textiles, and

can be integrated into existing systems

electronic components

fully electronic in-line process control

reduced corrosion and abrasion

qualification and validation using

Process scheme for electron beam sterilization

unsterile region

treatment zone
e-

ee-

e-

sterile region

ee-

3 In-line sterilization process

( Robert Bosch GmbH)

4 Ceramic implants
course of the process

FRAUNHOFER FEP 2.2 F08