VMC 211: General Veterinary Microbiology (1+1)

AUTOCLAVE

• It is used for moist heat sterilization of articles using high pressure steam. The articles are subjected to a temperature of 121C for 15 minutes. This temperature is achieved at 15 lbs pressure. There are two types of autoclave namely, horizontal and vertical.
• The horizontal autoclave consists of a steam generation chamber (boiler) and a sterilization chamber. The materials to be sterilized are kept in the sterilization chamber and exposed to the steam generated from the boiler.
• The vertical autoclave is similar to a domestic pressure cooker where steam is generated by heating water at the bottom over which the articles to be sterilized are kept.
• Autocalves are used for sterilization of heat stable plastic items, rubber corks, surgical instruments. Media and solutions containing heat stable ingredients are sterilized in the autoclave.  

Horizontal autoclave		Vertical autoclave