Sterilizing injection pen cartridges

[GimmeABreak]

I ordered a handful of cartridges from two different pen suppliers and they claim they are sterilized but no real way to be certain. Is there a way I can sterilize them in my lab? I searched this on other forums + reddit and can't seem to find any info. Insta pot? UV Light? With either of these methods, if the cart is sealed does sterilization even work?
TIA

 

[TNDelta]

I've heard of several taking them to a dentist office or doctor's that they're close with and sterilize with their equipment. Not sure how Insta Pot would work but maybe?

 

[Jackal]

Yes, asking a vet, dentist, doctor, or even a school if they will autoclave it for you will work.

Unfortunately an Instant Pot does not get hot enough. I believe the sterilize function only gets to about 239F (118C) . You want to reach a temp of 250F (121C) for 15-20 mins. I know some may say close enough but it is up to you to decide your amount of risk.

A manual pressure cooker with a 15psi weight works. This is what I use and yes the tape does turn from blue to black.

 

[GimmeABreak]

Yes, asking a vet, dentist, doctor, or even a school if they will autoclave it for you will work.

Unfortunately an Instant Pot does not get hot enough. I believe the sterilize function only gets to about 239F (118C) . You want to reach a temp of 250F (121C) for 15-20 mins. I know some may say close enough but it is up to you to decide your amount of risk.

A manual pressure cooker with a 15psi weight works. This is what I use and yes the tape does turn from blue to black.

Thanks for the quick response. So something like this would work:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVD2681X/

Any idea how long it would take?

 

[RedSkip]

Yes, asking a vet, dentist, doctor, or even a school if they will autoclave it for you will work.

Unfortunately an Instant Pot does not get hot enough. I believe the sterilize function only gets to about 239F (118C) . You want to reach a temp of 250F (121C) for 15-20 mins. I know some may say close enough but it is up to you to decide your amount of risk.

A manual pressure cooker with a 15psi weight works. This is what I use and yes the tape does turn from blue to black.

Genuinely curious… why 250 F when the FDA says 165F for food born bacteria?

 

[fetefille]

Yes, asking a vet, dentist, doctor, or even a school if they will autoclave it for you will work.

Unfortunately an Instant Pot does not get hot enough. I believe the sterilize function only gets to about 239F (118C) . You want to reach a temp of 250F (121C) for 15-20 mins. I know some may say close enough but it is up to you to decide your amount of risk.

A manual pressure cooker with a 15psi weight works. This is what I use and yes the tape does turn from blue to black.

I’m trying to figure this out. How do the cartridges get sterilized inside of the packaging, sealed at both ends with rubber stoppers? Just by virtue of the temp?

ETA: ok, I got part of it, medical grade kraft paper is permeable. The second part, the rubber stoppers…idk.

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

I’m trying to figure this out. How do the cartridges get sterilized inside of the packaging, sealed at both ends with rubber stoppers? Just by virtue of the temp?

ETA: ok, I got part of it, medical grade kraft paper is permeable. The second part, the rubber stoppers…idk.

Pressure causes the stoppers to pop out. You re-insert them while still packaged.

I haven’t actually done this personally but this is my understanding of it

 

[Jackal]

Genuinely curious… why 250 F when the FDA says 165F for food born bacteria?

Honestly, I don't know. I did a LOT of reading on it and that keeps coming up. I also asked a dermatologist that I have worked with for years and she said her practice autoclaves at 121C. Which she kindly did my first batch.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/steam-sterilization has some information and a nice timing chart.
I think it comes down your risk tolerance level.

 

[GimmeABreak]

Thanks for all of the reply's. I am either going to go with the $40 autoclave (in the amazon link above) or just roll the dice and hope the cartridge vendors actually sterilize them.... (TAKE THAT! immune system)

 

[fetefille]

Pressure causes the stoppers to pop out. You re-insert them while still packaged.

I haven’t actually done this personally but this is my understanding of it

Ahhhh interesting, the way my brain wouldn’t let this go.

 

[Kaybrewski]

Where I work we sterilize things at 270F for 8 minutes. Unless it’s a fluid or needs to be run on a special cycle.

 

[Dee X]

Pressure causes the stoppers to pop out. You re-insert them while still packaged.

I haven’t actually done this personally but this is my understanding of it

You are correct.

 

[IGezs]

For those that are into mycology sterilizing jars of media are a normal part of our hobby. A standard pressure cooker with weight and a gauge (important) can mimic a 121C 15psi sterilization procedure. Typically I use 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes. Also I like to add a quarter to the weight on my cooker to increase the pressure to 17psi. Make sure to not start your 30min timer until after the pressure reaches >=15psi and you have turned the heat down.

Also here is a chart of time temp psi for sterilizing

Autoclave Time Temperature Pressure Chart

And if you buy a pressure cooker and build a still air box you can then get into mycology and grow fungi for fun and health benefits.

 

[RedSkip]

For those that are into mycology sterilizing jars of media are a normal part of our hobby. A standard pressure cooker with weight and a gauge (important) can mimic a 121C 15psi sterilization procedure. Typically I use 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes. Also I like to add a quarter to the weight on my cooker to increase the pressure to 17psi. Make sure to not start your 30min timer until after the pressure reaches >=15psi and you have turned the heat down.

Also here is a chart of time temp psi for sterilizing

Autoclave Time Temperature Pressure Chart

And if you buy a pressure cooker and build a still air box you can then get into mycology and grow fungi for fun and health benefits.

Any thoughts on an Instant Pot? Likely not going to buy a new pressure cooker when cartridges are so cheap, but might dabble with the instant pot.

 

[IGezs]

The instapots only get up to 12psi. They are used but you need to increase the run time. I would go 2 hours minimum. The newer instapot max that does 15psi should be ok but I never researched how well they maintain pressure / temperature.
However I would sooner use one of the cheap 6 quart pressure cookers with no gauge but does have a traditional rocker weight that I can manipulate.

 

[RedSkip]

The instapots only get up to 12psi. They are used but you need to increase the run time. I would go 2 hours minimum. The newer instapot max that does 15psi should be ok but I never researched how well they maintain pressure / temperature.
However I would sooner use one of the cheap 6 quart pressure cookers with no gauge but does have a traditional rocker weight that I can manipulate.

Putting a weight on the rocker weight seems sketchy and a recipe for disaster for most.

 

[IGezs]

Putting a weight on the rocker weight seems sketchy and a recipe for disaster for most.

These do 15psi out of the box.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002N601

The quarter sits on the rocker weight. If you don't turn down the heat once it gets going the quarter will fall off. It ensures that the weight is just over the minimum for 15psi given the machining tolerances of the rocker weight.

 

[GimmeABreak]

Ok, so it sounds like the Insta Pot (that I already own) will do a pretty good job if I run it for 2+ hours? I hate buying appliances or other things that I will only use once or twice.

 

[IGezs]

yes, tests with instapot were able to neutralize the geobacillus bacteria after 1:45 min run. Stick to a 2hr run and use a proper sterilization pouch and you should be relatively safe.