Microbial Control Methods and Sterilization
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Questions and Answers

Physical agents for controlling microbial growth include all of the following, except:

  • Ultraviolet radiation
  • Hydrogen peroxide (correct)
  • Pasteurization
  • HEPA filters
  • Boiling water
  • Which of the following microbial forms have the highest resistance to physical and chemical controls?

  • Yeast
  • Bacterial endospores (correct)
  • Fungal spores
  • Naked viruses
  • Protozoan cysts
  • The process that destroys or removes all microorganisms and microbial forms including bacterial endospores is:

  • Sanitization
  • Antisepsis
  • Sterilization (correct)
  • Disinfection
  • Degermation
  • The process of using a cleansing technique to mechanically remove and reduce microorganisms and debris to safe levels is:

    <p>Sanitization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The use of a physical or chemical process to destroy vegetative pathogens on inanimate objects is:

    <p>Disinfection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The use of chemical agents directly on exposed body surfaces to destroy or inhibit vegetative pathogens is:

    <p>Antisepsis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Scrubbing or immersing the skin in chemicals to reduce the numbers of microbes on the skin is:

    <p>Degermation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which is correct regarding the rate of microbial death?

    <p>Cells in a culture die at a constant rate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Sterilization is achieved by:

    <p>Steam autoclave</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Dry heat is less efficient than moist heat.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Endospores can be killed by:

    <p>All of the choices are correct</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The minimum sterilizing conditions in a steam autoclave are:

    <p>121° C at 15 psi for 15 minutes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Disinfection of beverages, such as apple juice, milk, and wine, is optimally achieved by:

    <p>Pasteurization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Electrons are ejected from atoms in cells when organisms are exposed to:

    <p>Gamma rays and X rays</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following items are typically irradiated in order to kill microbes?

    <p>All of the choices are correct</p> Signup and view all the answers

    HEPA filters are used to remove microbes from:

    <p>Air</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following does not contain a heavy metal?

    <p>Tincture of iodine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The easiest microbial forms to kill or inhibit are:

    <p>Vegetative bacteria and fungi</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Alcohols:

    <p>All of the choices are correct</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All of the following are correct about iodophors, except:

    <p>This formulation allows a quick release of free iodine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The sterilizing gas used in a special chamber is:

    <p>Ethylene oxide</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The chemical agent that produces highly reactive hydroxyl-free radicals and also decomposes to O2 gas is:

    <p>Hydrogen peroxide</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All the following are correct about detergents, except:

    <p>They are active in the presence of organic matter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ethylene oxide is:

    <p>Sporicidal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is officially accepted as a sterilant and high-level disinfectant?

    <p>Glutaraldehyde</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All of the following are correct about food irradiation, except:

    <p>The World Health Organization does not endorse this process</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All of the following are methods of disinfection or sterilization, except:

    <p>Lyophilization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which common hospital pathogen is able to grow abundantly in soap dishes?

    <p>Pseudomonas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All of the following are correct about the autoclave, except:

    <p>It is effective for sterilizing powders, oils, and waxy substances</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following types of agents targets protein conformation?

    <p>Alcohol</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Using toilet bowl cleaner and nonionizing radiation to inanimate surfaces only removes or kills vegetative bacteria. The term that best describes this action is:

    <p>Disinfection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these metals have antimicrobial properties associated with them?

    <p>Both A and B are correct</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Commercial products containing which types of chemicals are more effective at killing microorganisms?

    <p>Bacteriocidal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Bacteriocidal agents are sterilants.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Bacteriostatic agents kill bacterial cells.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The presence of organic matter such as saliva and pus can interfere with the actions of disinfectants.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When a control agent targets the metabolic processes of microbial cells, active younger cells typically die more rapidly than older cells.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A microorganism that is not motile and has stopped metabolizing could be considered dead.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Most microbial contaminants of food are killed at freezing temperatures.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Filtration is an effective method to remove microbes from air and liquids.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Chlorine compounds remain stable and effective in the presence of excess organic matter.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Aniline dyes like crystal violet have antimicrobial activity particularly against gram-positive bacteria and some fungi.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Alcohols are more effective at inactivating enveloped viruses than naked viruses.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Isopropyl alcohol wiped across a skin site can sterilize it.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Chlorine dioxide and ethylene oxide are gaseous sterilants.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    _____ heat is more rapidly effective and efficient compared to _____ heat.

    <p>moist, dry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    _____ radiation excites atoms to a higher energy state within molecules such as DNA that then leads to the formation of pyrimidine dimers.

    <p>nonionizing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Some microbial control agents are able to _____ cell proteins by breaking bonds that maintain the native state, three-dimensional configuration of the proteins.

    <p>denature</p> Signup and view all the answers

    _____ filters are widely used to provide a flow of sterile air to hospital rooms.

    <p>HEPA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    _____ is a halogen used in gaseous and liquid form for large scale disinfection of drinking water and sewage.

    <p>chlorine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    __________ or steam sterilization is the process by which steam is heated under pressure to sterilize objects.

    <p>autoclaving</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Microbial Control Methods

    • Physical agents for controlling microbial growth include ultraviolet radiation, boiling water, HEPA filters, and pasteurization, but not hydrogen peroxide.
    • Bacterial endospores demonstrate the highest resistance to both physical and chemical controls compared to naked viruses, protozoan cysts, fungal spores, and yeast.

    Sterilization and Disinfection Processes

    • Sterilization is the complete elimination of all microorganisms, including bacterial endospores.
    • Sanitization involves the mechanical removal and reduction of microorganisms to safe levels.
    • Disinfection targets vegetative pathogens on inanimate objects, while antisepsis aims to inhibit pathogens on exposed body surfaces.

    Microbial Death Rates

    • In a culture, cells generally exhibit a constant rate of death, contrasting the misconception of simultaneous cell death upon contact with control agents.

    Autoclave and Heat Methods

    • Effective sterilization with an autoclave requires conditions of 121°C at 15 psi for at least 15 minutes.
    • Dry heat sterilization is generally less effective than moist heat methods.

    Methods of Microbial Destruction

    • Endospores can be effectively killed by dry heat at 170°C for 2 hours, incineration, or exposure to other viable chemical agents.
    • Pasteurization is ideal for disinfecting beverages like apple juice, milk, and wine.

    Chemical Agents and Their Functions

    • Hydrogen peroxide generates hydroxyl-free radicals and decomposes to O2 gas, exhibiting significant antimicrobial activity.
    • Alcohols are effective as skin degerming agents and denature proteins at concentrations between 50-95%.
    • Ethylene oxide is a sporicidal gas used in specialized sterilization chambers.

    Iodophors and Heavy Metals

    • Iodophors combine iodine with a polymer to enhance penetration and reduce staining—the quick release of iodine is incorrect.
    • Silver and gold exhibit antimicrobial properties, while other metals like tin and aluminum do not.

    Filtration and Chemical Stabilization

    • HEPA filters effectively remove microbes from air, while filtration remains a viable method for both air and liquid sterilization.
    • Chlorine compounds lose effectiveness in the presence of excessive organic matter.

    Misconceptions in Microbial Control

    • Bacteriocidal agents do not necessarily guarantee sterilization, and bacteriostatic agents do not kill bacteria, merely inhibit their growth.
    • The presence of organic matter can indeed interfere with disinfectant actions.
    • Microbial contaminants in food are rarely killed at freezing temperatures.

    General Principles of Microbial Control

    • Moist heat is generally more effective than dry heat for sterilization processes.
    • Nonionizing radiation causes DNA damage by forming pyrimidine dimers.
    • Agents that denature proteins can disrupt their three-dimensional structure, impacting cell function.

    Recap of Key Definitions

    • Autoclaving or steam sterilization effectively combines steam and pressure for sterilizing objects.
    • Chlorine, widely used for disinfecting water and sewage, acts as a halogen in both liquid and gaseous forms.

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    Description

    Explore various microbial control methods including physical agents, sterilization and disinfection processes. Learn about microbial death rates and the effectiveness of heat methods. This quiz will enhance your understanding of how different techniques influence microbial growth and survival.

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