Lab 10

Question 1

disinfectants vs. antiseptics

Answer 1

disinfectants - chemical agents used on inanimate objects to lower the level or number of microbes
antiseptics - used on living tissue

Question 2

what are the different types of agents?

Answer 2

• chemotherapeutic agents - used internally and may be natural or synthetic in nature
• microbicidial agents - agents that results in microbial death
• micobiostatic agents - temporary inhibition of microbial growth

Question 3

Why does selective toxicity mean?

Answer 3

antiseptics and disinfectants must kill or inhibit microbial growth without causing harm to the host

Question 4

how is The nature of the material being treated affects the action of the compound?

Answer 4

• it depends on the ability of the compound to make contact with the microbes (high concentration doesn’t seem to be better)
• it also depends on the temperature of the environment (higher temperature is better.

Question 5

what is the modes of action?

Answer 5

the actions of the disinfectant, and aseptics (vary in how that do it)

Question 6

phenolics, PC, Halogen group, oxidizing agents, surfactants,

Answer 6

• phenolics disrupt cytoplasmic membranes and denature proteins
• phenol coefficient (PC) is used to measure the effectiveness of a phenol-based antimicrobial agent with respect to phenol.
• alcohol group, only ethyl and isopropyl alcohol are used to control microbial growth
• halogen group of antimicrobials, are common disinfectants that are microbicidal and, with prolonged exposure, sporicidal.
• oxidizing agents, comprised of the peroxides, ozone, and peracetic acid, are powerful oxidizing agents that can sterilize materials when used under controlled circumstances.
• surfactants are surface-active agents such as soaps and detergents. These compounds help break through the oily layer on the skin, a process known as emulsification
• heavy metals are a class of antimicrobial, they are not commonly used because they can be quite toxic to humans if ingested, they can cause allergic reactions, they can cause serious pollution of the environment, and because organisms can rapidly develop resistance to them
  -aldehydes when they first dissect a specimen in high school biology. Formaldehyde, a member of the aldehyde group of antimicrobials, is the chemical responsible for the intense vapors that often emanate from such preserved specimens.
• gaseous agent is useful in some situations. Ethylene oxide gas is a sterilizing agent which destroys all life forms and has great penetrating capabilities.

Question 7

What are chemotherapeutic Agents?

Answer 7

chemical agents that inhibit or prevent microbial growth, are used internally, and may be natural or synthetic in nature.