This study has shown that representative fungi, viruses, and aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including spore formers, can easily be killed in a conventional microwave oven with proper modifications. Metal instruments, including air turbine handpieces and burs, and acrylic dentures can be sterilized in short periods. Consistent sterilization can be accomplished only if the items to be sterilized are rotated in a three-dimensional manner throughout the microwave cavity. Arcing back to the magnetron and damage to the microwave oven are prevented by placing a radar absorbent material within the oven and with proper insulation of the item to be sterilized.

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A simple protocol has been developed for recycling plastic tissue culture vessels. The killing properties of microwaves were used to decontaminate plastic tissue culture vessels for reuse. Nine bacterial cultures, four gram-negative and five gram-positive genera, including two Bacillus species, were used to artificially contaminate tissue culture vessels. The microwaves produced by a "home-type" microwave oven (2.45 gHz) were able to decontaminate the vessels with a 3-min exposure. The same exposure time was also used to completely inactivate the following three test viruses: polio type 1, parainfluenza type 1 (Sendai), and bacteriophage T4. The recycling procedure did not reduce the attachment and proliferation of the following cell types: primary chicken and turkey embryo, HEp-2, Vero, BGMK, and MK-2.

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