Microbial inactivation by microwave radiation in the home environment.

Kitchen sponges and scrubbing pads were contaminated with wastewater and exposed to microwave radiation. At 100% power level, the total bacterial count of the wastewater was reduced by more that 99% within 1-2 mins, and the total coliform and E. coli were totally inactivated after 30 sec. Bacterial phage MS2 was totally inactivated within 1-2 min. B. cereus spores were more resistant but were eradicated after 4 min. Similar inactivation rates were obtained in wastewater-contaminated scrubbing pads. Journal of Environmental Health 2006;69:17-24.