Can I use Virkon in my anaerobic workstation?
THE USE OF VIRKON IN MICROBIOLOGY WORKSTATIONS After a thorough study lasting 20 weeks we have recently concluded that the presence of any uncovered containers of Virkon in both anaerobic and variable atmosphere workstations leads to the unacceptable degradation of stainless steel, brass and some other metal components. The effect is more considerable in variable atmosphere workstations probably due to the presence of oxygen in the selected gas mixture. These conclusions are supported by technical information available on the Virkon manufacturers website and independent observations by an Institute of Materials metallurgist. In two instances we believe the presence of Virkon vapour led to the premature failure of porthole inner door springs. If Virkon is the preferred sanitising solution, these adverse effects are minimised by ensuring that Virkon within any workstation is always kept in a covered vessel when not in use. We feel it appropriate to draw this matter to the attention of ou
