Patent ID: 9241491
Filing Date: 2016-01-26
CPC Classification: A01N,A61L,C01B

Claim Text:
1. A method for disinfecting or sterilizing a surface comprising the steps of: (1) nebulising a solution comprising a sterilizing agent in a solvent to form a nebulant of finely divided particles of the solution in a gas stream, said solution including a solvent having a lower boiling point than the sterilizing agent; (2) subjecting the nebulant to energy of a kind and for a duration sufficient to vaporize solvent in preference to sterilizing agent to increase the concentration of the sterilizing agent in the nebulant particles; (3) removing solvent vaporized in step (2) from the gas stream at or above atmospheric pressure and, optionally cooling the nebulant to below 70° C.; and (4) exposing said surface to the nebulant of concentrated sterilizing agent from step (3) for a time sufficient to disinfect or sterilize the surface.