WHEN TO USE WHICH A0 VALUE

How to make sure your bedpans, urine bottles and similar do not become a health hazard.

Leading hygiene institutes such as the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recommend to use a thermal, machine disinfection process to clean care utensils. Disinfection performance is defined by the A0 value.

THE A0 VALUE...

... is a way to measure how many microorganisms are killed or inactivated in moist-heat disinfection processes.
... is a disinfection parameter that should be reached on the surface of medical devices.
... is based on effectivetemperature-time ratio.
... can be measured using a data-registration device called thermologger.
... is defined in the following norm: EN DIN ISO 15883-1.

Low temperatures for a long contact time
= same efficacy =
as high temperatures for a short contact time

Contact time

 

Temperature

A0 value

In minutes

In seconds

In °C

10

600

70

60

1

60

80

 

6

90

100

6,000

70

600