RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Evaluation of High-Temperature and Short-Time Sterilization of Injection Ampules by Microwave Heating JF PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology JO PDA J Pharm Sci Technol FD Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) SP 5 OP 12 VO 52 IS 1 A1 Koichi Sasaki A1 Washiro Honda A1 Yasuo Miyake YR 1998 UL http://journal.pda.org/content/52/1/5.abstract AB The high-temperature and short-time sterilization by microwave heating with a continuous microwave sterilizer (MWS) was evaluated. The evaluation were performed with respect to: [1] lethal effect against microorganisms corresponding to F-value, and [2] reliability of MWS sterilization process. Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 7953 spores were used as the biological indicator and the heat-resistance of spores was evaluated with conventional heating method (121–129°C). In MWS sterilization (125–135°C), the actual lethal effect against B. stearothermophilus spores was almost in agreement with the F-value and the survival curve against the F-value was quite consistent with that for the autoclave. These results suggest that the actual lethal effect could be estimated by the F-value with heat-resistance parameters of spores from lower than actual temperatures and that there was no nonthermal effect of the microwave on B. stearothermophilus spores. The reliability of sterilization with the MWS was confirmed using more than 25,000 test ampules containing biological indicators. All biological indicators were killed, thus the present study shows that the MWS was completely reliable for all ampules.