[pointyst1k]

This isn't spam, it's a legit question. I'm better off just posting the specs of the item I think.

I need to know if this piece of equipment is adequate for #1. Equipment sterilization, and #2 Liquid sterilization. I'm starting a home laboratory to make and alter supplements. Here is the equipment:

16L Towel Warmer Cabinet with Sterilizer

16L Capacity: for Placing 70-80 disposable facial towels or 32 terry facial towels
Stuff as many as 2026 manicure or face towels inside this thing
CE approve because we want to make sure your towels are clean and fresh
Keeps towels warm and safe
Comes with a Micro Computer Control Temperature (some fancy name for a control knob)
Built in UV light which zaps all the germs inside there
Cool door design which opens right against the cabinet
Strong and sturdy
Removable tray which helps with the drips
Commercial and family use
No assembly needed so if you can take a plug and actually plug it, then it's all cool
Dimensions and Numbers to Know:

Power: 250W
Voltage: 110V
Frequency: 60Hz
Dimension:
Exterior: 18" x 12 1/2" x 12"
Interior: 13 3/4" x 10" x 5 1/2"
Tray: 18" x 4 1/4" x 1/2"



If this will suffice, what temperature should I set it on for equipment sterilization and most importantly water sterilization?

Thanks a lot for your time,
Chris
 

[pointyst1k]

I forgot to add not only temperature but length of time, any chemistry information about this that you can throw at me about this, please do.

[billnotgatez]

to make and alter supplements.

We are limited to what to discuss here due to liability issues as pointed out in forum rules.
Click on the link near the top center of the forum page.
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting.
Therefore, we can not endorse any method.
Having said this my limited experience in microbiology says that this is not a fool proof device for  sterilization.

You might read this to get some ideas on your own.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoclave

[pointyst1k]

Okay, thanks. I was just looking for a cheaper method. I guess there is no work around.

[Intanjir]

Terminology is important.

Properly speaking 'sterilization' requires the complete eradication of pathogens. A 99.999% reduction doesn't cut it.
Complete eradication is a rather stringent goal often reserved for medical contexts.

I would not know the pathogen control requirements that are in place for dietary supplements, but my understanding is that such things are not generally held to the level of 'sterile'. Sanitary is probably the more apt word.

UV light does not penetrate like X-rays.
A UV towel sterilizer is most definitely not adequate for sterilization or even sanitization of equipment. Even if your equipment was a bona fide towel and your business was a salon. The UV may help keep an already sanitized towel sanitary by helping to act against microbes introduced to the surface after you've already sanitized the towel but it is not intended to sanitize the towel despite what the marketing department may have you think.

UV certainly has application for sterilization of appropriate liquids since everything can in principle be transparent to UV in such cases. That said, you don't have ultraviolet vision so you do not have an easy way of knowing whether something is UV transparent or not. This is important. Devices intended for liquid sterilization using UV will use quartz instead of glass as quartz is actually transparent to UV and any given piece of glass is probably quite opaque to UV. You cannot simply put your sample in any old beaker and stick it in the UV box and expect a good kill rate. I would not recommend relying on UV to kill pathogens unless you were in a setting where you could actually properly engineer and evaluate your process with a full understanding of all the difficulties that it entails, particularly the issues surrounding line of sight..

Autoclaves are not all overpriced monstrosities, and they are comparatively fool-resistant. Some are in fact quite cheap and strongly resemble pressure cookers. However using them effectively does also require careful thought. Little bits of crud can shield microbes. Certain microbes are resistant. Etc.