Disinfectants

Question 1

Phenol

Answer 1

Acts by denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes

[tuberculocidal]

Question 2

Alcohols

Answer 2

Denature proteins and possible dissolve membrane lipids

[bacteriocidal, fungicidal, but not sporucidal; inactivates some viruses]

requires water!!

Question 3

Iodine (halogen)

Answer 3

Oxidizes cell constituents and iodinates proteins

[may kill spores]

Question 4

Chlorine [halogen]

Answer 4

Oxidizes cell constituents, destroys vegetative bacterial and fungi; the gas is sporucidal

[can be carcinogenic]

Question 5

Heavy metals

Answer 5

Combine with proteins and inactivate them; may also precipitate proteins

[found in burn creams]

Question 6

Aldehydes

Answer 6

Highly reactive; combine with nucleic acids and proteins and destory them

[sporucidal]

Question 7

Sterilizing gases

Answer 7

Combine with DNA and proteins and inactivate them

[microbicidal and sporucidal]

Used on heat sensitive materials

Question 8

Triclosan

Answer 8

Inhibits fatty acid synthesis

Contributes to antibiotic resistance because it must be left on the skin for 2+ minutes to be effective, which is not common practice