Klarinet Archive - Posting 000278.txt from 2005/06

From: ormo2ndtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: Re: [kl] Microwaving mouthpieces and reeds? Another crackpot idea?
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 07:13:54 -0400

Bruce McGarvey wrote:

> I've wondered if subjecting a mouthpiece
> (non-metal, of course) or a reed to
> microwaves would kill disease-causing
> bacteria and viruses as well as Sterisol or a
> similar product.

Interesting question if you're awake in the middle of the night. I did
a Google search. Take a look at:

http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/Sterile/basics.html

which explains that the presence of live steam (in an autoclave in a
doctor's office) does more than just provide heat, and that "dry heat"
is not as effective as "wet heat" for sterilizing.

I noticed several articles from medical journals which warn that
household microwave ovens are insufficient even if microwaving would
succeed when done properly.

I also noticed articles (published during the anthrax scare) about the
unreliability of trying to sterilize suspicious mail in a household
microwave oven.

One medical journal said that effectiveness depends partly on the
relationship between microwave wavelength and dimensions of the cell or
virus being killed --- similar to "tuning" the cell/virus and microwave
to each other --- and partly on producing a uniform microwave field
(which household microwave ovens don't produce).

....fwiw.....

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