2018-07-292018-07-292008http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12091/98The autoclave is a piece of equipment used for sterilizing. The word sterilizing means the destruction or elimination of all forms of life (microbial, including spores) present in inanimate objects by means of physical, chemical or gaseous procedures. The word sterilizer comes from the Latin word sterilis which means not to bear fruit. This chapter will focus exclusively on autoclaves as these are greatly used in public health establishments, clinical and research laboratories. This type of equipment is also known as a sterilizer. Sterilization must be considered as a group of very important interrelated processes for carrying out health services, (sterilization of materials, culture medium, instruments) within rigorous conditions of asepsis.en-USAutoclaveUMDNS: 89Book chapter