Microwave sterilization

[eric anderson]

In article <58hcnp$149 at is.bbsrc.ac.uk>, David Hills
<David.Hills at bbsrc.ac.uk> wrote:

> Usual situation: gone to cupboard to get sterile bottle and the last one 
> has been used (what else should you expect!). Can a microwave be used to 
> sterilise plastics/glassware as a last resort? I have just discovered 
> that 5 mins Full power (600W) seems to bend large polystyrene dishes, 
> although a couple of 1L bottles on top straighten them out!
> 
> Anybody out there use this method of sterilization??
> Dave
> 

i've never tried a microwave for emergency sterilization but i have used a
UV cross linking oven with no ill results to this point.  i just put it in
and set the power to somewhere between 5000 and 8000 uJ/cm^2.  this seems
to work for me for most things and at the very least it can't hurt.

eric

-- 
Eric C. Anderson
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Sloan-Kettering Institute
1275 York Ave. Box 470
New York, NY  10028
(212) 639-2977
e-anderson at ski.mskcc.org