ClorDiSys Solutions, Inc. recently completed another decontamination project to irradicate pinworm eggs from a research facility. Pinworms are a significant risk to a life science laboratory and can destroy a research study and effectively erase all previous work. Prior to validation of effectiveness using chlorine dioxide gas, there had been no true viable options for a facility to eradicate them.The only known potential solutions were ethylene oxide gas and dry heat. Ethylene oxide is not used for space fumigation due to its carcinogenic and explosive properties as well as the need to increase temperatures in a space. For dry heat, it is unrealistic to introduce to an environment without having material incompatibility, and it is very difficult to uniformly establish and maintain the high temperatures needed for dry heat (212°F, held for 30 minutes) to be effective, especially in floor drains and HVAC grills. Chlorine dioxide gas is able to treat entire spaces at once, as it is able to reach deep into crevices and around objects within the space to leave no surface untreated, which is why it was used in the study.
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The prior study by The University of Tennessee at Knoxville utilized ClorDiSys‘ EPA registered sterilant chlorine dioxide gas and its effect on pinworm eggs to see if it was a viable option for treating contaminated spaces. Pinworm eggs are microscopic and have been found on equipment, shelving, in dust, and in ventilation air intake ducts. The study is formally presented in an Application Note which can be seen here https://www.clordisys.com/pdfs/articles/Pinworm%20Egg%20Inactivation%20JAALAS.pdf. The conclusion of the study indicated that chlorine dioxide gas is an effective option to eliminate all viable ova from hatching, and that it can do so in just a matter of hours.
The chlorine dioxide gas decontamination process is gentle on materials so even sensitive equipment like circuit boards or other electronics can remain in the space. This simplifies the preparation and allows for everything in the space to be treated. While proven to be effective on pinworms, its classification as an EPA registered sterilant shows its ability to eliminate any other harmful pathogens that may be in a laboratory or any other setting