Final answer:
An autoclave uses steam under pressure to achieve sterilization. The high temperature and pressure allow for the complete killing of bacteria, viruses, and spores while preserving the integrity of the sterilized items. Charles Chamberland invented the modern autoclave, which is essential for microbial control in various settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
An autoclave is a sterilization chamber that allows the use of steam under pressure to sterilize materials. Autoclaves utilize moist-heat sterilization, where temperatures are raised above the boiling point of water, making it possible to kill vegetative cells, viruses, and particularly endospores which are known to survive boiling temperatures. The principle behind an autoclave is that the pressure is increased to allow steam to achieve temperatures higher than 100°C (212°F), the boiling point of water, resulting in effective sterilization without harming the items being sterilized.
Charles Chamberland designed the modern autoclave in 1879, and it is still deemed the most effective sterilization method. Standard operating temperatures for an autoclave are typically 121°C or 132°C at a pressure of 15 to 20 psi. The exposure time usually extends 20 minutes or more, depending on the volume and nature of the material.
There are different types of autoclaves, including gravity displacement autoclaves and prevacuum sterilizers. Gravity displacement autoclaves introduce steam into the chamber, forcing the heavier air out, while prevacuum sterilizers completely remove the air using a high-speed vacuum before steam introduction. Quality control in autoclaving includes using recorders and internal indicators such as heat-sensitive autoclave tape or biological spore indicators to ensure proper sterilization temperatures are reached.