Controlling Microbial Growth Flashcards
define sterilization
destruction or removal of all viable organisms
define disinfection
killing, inhibition, or removal of diseases causing (pathogenic) organisms
what are disinfectants?
agents, usually chemical, used for disinfection, usually used on inanimate objects
define sanitization
reduction of microbial population to levels deemed safe (based on public health standards)
define antisepsis
prevention of infection of living tissue by microorganisms
what are anitseptics?
chemical agents that kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms when applied to tissue
what is chemotherapy?
use of chemical to kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms within host tissue
what do -cidal agents do? give examples
kill, bactericides, fungicides, viricides
what do static agents do?
inhibit growth; include bacteriostatic and fungistatic
when an agent is applied, do microbes die instantly?
nope
how does population death occur?
exponentially usually
what is a measure of an agent’s killing efficiency?
decimal reduction time, the time it takes the agent to kill 90% of population
what do you need to be sure of when killing microbes? why?
make sure all viable but nonculturable cells are dead, because once they recover they could regain ability to reproduce and cause infection
what are the 4 main methods of microbial control?
- physical
- chemical
- mechanical
- biological
what are the 2 categories of physical agents?
- heat
2. radiation
what are the 2 types of heat?
- dry
2 moist
what are the 2 methods of dry heat and what is the result of each?
- incineration: sterilization
2. dry oven: sterilization
what are the 2 methods of moist heat and what are the results of each?
- steam under pressure: sterilization
2. boiling water, hot water, pasteurization: disinfection
what are the 2 types of radiation?
- ionizing
2. non-ionizing
what is the method of ionizing radation and what is the result?
X-rays, cathode, gamma rays: sterilization
what is the method of non-ionizing radiation and what is the result?
UV: disinfection
what are the 2 types of chemical agents?
- gases
2. liquids
what are the 2 results with gas chemical agents?
can either sterilize or disinfect
what are the 2 types of liquid chemical agents?
- for animate objects
2. for inanimate objects
what are the 2 types of animate liquid chemical agents?
- chemotherapy
2. antispesis
what are the 2 results of inanimate liquid chemical agents?
can either sterilize or disinfect
what are the 3 types of biological agents? what are the results of each
- predator: antisepsis
- virus: antisepsis
- toxin: sterilization
what are the 2 methods of mechanical agents?
- filtering liquids
2. filtering air
what is the mechanical method?
filtration
describe filtration (2)
- reduced microbial population or sterilizes solutions of heat-sensitive microorganisms
- also used to reduce microbial populations in the air
name and describe what is used for filtering liquids
membrane filters: porous membranes with defined pore sizes that remove microorganisms primarily by physical screening
list 2 methods of filtering air
- surgical masks
2. HEPA filters (high-efficiency particulate air)
what are HEPA filters used in?
laminar flow biological safety cabinets, like in our lab
what does moist heat destroy? (3)
- viruses
- fungi
- bacteria
what does boiling NOT do? (2)
- no destroy endospores
2. does not sterilize
what does moist heat do? (mechanism) (3)
degrades nucleic acids, denatures proteins, and disrupts membranes
at what temperature is steam sterilization performed and what does it require?
above 100 degrees celsius and requires saturated steam under pressure
what is used for steam sterilization?
an autoclave
what is steam sterilization effective against?
all types of microbes including endospores
what is pasteurization?
controlled heating at temps well below boiling
what is pasteurization used for and why?
milk, beer, and other beverages because it kills present pathogens (but doesn’t sterilize) and slows spoilage by reducing total load of present microbes with not affecting nutritional content too much
what is the effectiveness of dry heat sterilization compared to moist heat?
less effective, requires higher temperatures and longer times