Process and device for sterilising packaging material

摘要

A process for sterilising packaging material, in particular folding containers (1), in which a liquid sterilising agent containing a hydrogen peroxide is applied in extremely finely divided form onto that surface of the packaging material to be sterilised. According to the invention, the hydrogen-peroxide-containing sterilising agent is acidified to a pH of approximately 2 before application onto the packaging material. This multiplies the bactericidal effect. Preferably the sterilising agent is acidified by carrying out a cation exchange reaction in which metal ions in the sterilising agent are exchanged for hydrogen ions and the desired slight acidification thus takes place automatically. In the device for carrying out the process, a cation exchanger cartridge (20) is exchangeably arranged in the feed line between a reservoir (7) for a 35% aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution and an atomiser device (5) by means of which the solution is atomised and evaporated. <IMAGE>