What is Autoclave Device

The device used in the purification of microorganisms on or in a substance is an autoclave device. After the sterilization process, viruses, bacteria, fungi and all similar microorganisms are destroyed. Various materials and tools can be used during this process. One of the most effective tools to be used in the sterilization process is autoclave devices.

What Does Autoclave Device Do?
The first models of the autoclave device had a pressure cooker-like shape. After the steam engines made by Denis Papin in 1681, it continues with the autoclave device invented by Charles Chamberland in the field of Microbiology.

Autoclave devices consist of 7 parts. We can list these sections as follows;

boiler section
cover section
Thermostat
air vent cock
pressure regulation valve
Manometer
Thermometer
It appears as. Almost all of the autoclave devices have these sections. Basically, you may be wondering how the autoclave device works. So how does the autoclave work?

How Does the Autoclave Device Work?
The autoclave device, which is used for sterilization with pressurized steam, actually performs sterilization by using a temperature higher than 100 oC in a steam-saturated environment. It can cause the death of all microorganisms that can cause disease in 15 to 20 minutes under 1.5 atmospheres pressure at 121 oC. Microorganisms do not die due to high pressure, but due to protein denaturation due to high temperature.

All autoclaves have almost the same parts. These parts are the boiler, the cover, the thermostat, the air discharge tap, the pressure adjustment valve, the manometer and the thermometer.

What Should Be Considered When Placing Materials in the Autoclave Device?
Some points should be considered while placing the items to be sterilized in the autoclave device. These;

Contaminated materials should be placed in the autoclave in open containers. And these materials should be sterilized separately. (Contaminated materials; petri dishes cultivated with bacteria, fungi, glass bottles, tubes, etc.)
The caps of screwed tubes should not be tightly closed. It should be left loose.
Liquids to be sterilized should not be filled completely into glass flasks, beakers, bottles etc. There must be a blank space.