# Rapid Sterilization of Clinical Apheresis Blood Products Using Ultra-High Dose Rate Radiation

## TL;DR

This study shows that ultra-fast radiation can safely sterilize blood products like platelets and plasma without harming their medical effectiveness.

## Contribution

The study introduces rapid irradiation using a clinical linear accelerator as a novel method for sterilizing blood products.

## Key findings

- Irradiation at 1 kGy reduced E. coli by 2.7-log without significant platelet loss.
- A 25 kGy dose sterilized plasma while causing only a 9.2% decrease in antibody binding.
- The method shows potential for point-of-care sterilization of blood products.

## Abstract

Blood products, including apheresis platelets and plasma, are essential for medical use but pose risks of bacterial contamination and viral transmission. Platelets are prone to bacterial growth due to their storage conditions, while plasma requires extensive screening. This study explores rapid irradiation as an innovative pathogen reduction method. A clinical linear accelerator was configured to deliver ultra-high dose rate (6 kGy/min) irradiation to platelet and plasma components. Platelets spiked with Escherichia coli (E. coli; 10⁵ colony-forming units) were irradiated at 0.1–20 kGy, followed by bacterial growth and platelet count analysis. COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) was irradiated at 25 kGy, and receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific immunoglobulins (Ig) were assessed. Irradiation at 1 kGy reduced E. coli growth by 2.7-log without significant platelet loss, while 5 kGy achieved complete suppression. The estimated 6-log bacterial reduction dose (2.3 kGy) led to a 31% platelet count drop. Administering a 25 kGy virus-sterilizing dose to CCP resulted in a 9.2% decrease in RBD-specific IgG binding. This study demonstrates the proof-of-concept for rapid blood sterilization using a clinical linear accelerator. The method maintains platelet counts and CCP antibody binding at sterilizing doses, highlighting its potential as a point-of-care blood product sterilization solution.