Sterilization refers to any process that removes, kills, or deactivates all forms
of life (in particular referring to microorganisms such
as fungi, bacteria, spores, unicellular eukaryotic organisms such as Plasmodium,
etc.) and other biological agents like prions present in a specific surface, object or
fluid, for example food or biological culture media. Sterilization can be achieved
through various means, including heat, chemicals, irradiation, high pressure,
and filtration. Sterilization is distinct from disinfection, sanitization,
and pasteurization, in that those methods reduce rather than eliminate all forms of
life and biological agents present. After sterilization, an object is referred to as
being sterile or aseptic.
Importance of sterilization:-
To prevent contamination in sterile products
To prevent transmission of pathogenic microorganisms which are
responsible for causing disease in plants, animals and human beings
To prevent decomposition and spoilage of food and food products
To prevent the contamination of unwanted microbes in pure cultures
and other microbiology experiments performed for research studies
To prevent unwanted microbial contamination in antibiotic,
enzyme, vitamins, fermentation and other industries process
To prevent contamination in aseptic areas/instruments which are used for
the preparation of sterile dosage forms and sterility testing.
Microorganisms are capable of causing infection are constantly present in
the external environment and on the human body.
Microorganisms are responsible for contamination and infection.
The aim of sterilization is to remove or destroy the microorganisms from
materials or from surfaces.
Denaturation of proteins
Interference with protein synthesis
Interruption of DNA synthesis
Oxidative damage of cell
Disruption of cell membranes
Dry Heat
Flaming Incinaration Hot Air Oven
Why we need Sterilization
How can microorganisms be killed
Fig;-Protein Denaturation
Contact time
Physico-chemical environment (e.g. pH)
Presence of organic material
Temperature
Type of microorganism
Number of microorganisms
Material composition
• Heat is the most reliable and rapid method of sterilization
Mechanism:
Protein denaturation
oxidative damage
Factors that influence efficacy of disinfection/sterilization
DRY HEAT STERILIZATION
Toxic effect of elevated levels of electrolytes.
Time required for sterilization is inversely proportional to the temperature
of exposure. This can be expressed as thermal death time, which is the
minimum time required to kill a suspension of microorganisms at a
temperature and specific conditions.
• Hot air ovens are electrical devices used in sterilization.
• The oven uses dry heat to sterilize articles.
• Generally, they can be operated from 50 to 300 C (122 to 572 F) .
• There is a thermostat controlling the temperature.
• This is the most widely used method of sterilization by dry heat.
• Items: glassware, forceps, scissors, scalpels, all-glass syringes,
swabs, liquid paraffin, dusting powder, fats, grease.
• (Materials should be properly arranged to allow free circulation of air)
Hot Air Oven
Fig:-Hot Air Oven
Component of Hot Air Oven:-
An insulated chamber surrounded by an outer case containing electric
heters.
A fan to ensure even distribution of air
Shelves
Thermocouples
Temperature
Door locking controls.
Precautions:
Should not be overloaded.
Arranged in a manner which allows free circulation of air.
Material to be sterilized should be perfectly dry.
Test tubes, flasks etc. should be fitted with cotton plugs.
Paper wrapping of the items should be done.
Rubber materials and inflammable materials should not be kept
inside.
The oven must be allowed to cool for two hours before opening, since
glassware may crack by sudden cooling.
Sterilization control:
Effectiveness of sterilization can be monitored by:
Biological indicators: — Paper strips with 106 Spores of Clostridium tetani
or Bacillus subtilis placed with other material. Later culture the strips in
thioglycollate broth at 370C for 5 days. Growth indicates failure
of sterilization.
Thermocouples: records the temperature by a potentiometer.
Browne's tube: contains a heat sensitive dye which turns green after being
exposed to 1600C for 60 minutes or 1500C for 115 minutes.
Advantages:-
• They do not require water and there is not much pressure build up within
the oven, unlike an autoclave, making them safer to work with.
• Suitable and easy to be use in a laboratory environment.
• They are much smaller than autoclaves but can still be as effective.
Disadvantages:
• long heating time, high temperature.
• As they use dry heat instead of moist heat, some organisms like prions, may
not be killed by them every time.
Items are held in the flame of Bunsen burner either for long time or short
time
longer time exposure in flame till they become red hot(250-3000C)
done for inoculating wires or loops, tips of forceps, etc.
Shorter period of time without allowing the items to become red hot: done
for fragile items ,e.g. glass slides, mouth of test tubes and flask.
It is used for disposal of biomedical waste materials.
Materials are reduced to ash by burning.
It burns( sterilize) the anatomical waste , animal carcasses
,pathological waste and contaminated cloths by providing a very high
temperature(870- 1,2000C).
Incinaration
Fig:- Incinaration
:
Sterilization is a process or killing all microorganisms (including,spores) on
or in a material or object.
The factorsüat determine the type of sterilization or disinfecting process to
be used include time, temperature ,stage of growth of the organism ,nature
of the medium in which the organism is suspended (air, gas ,liquid) and the
number of organism present.
Sterilization and disinfection can be achieved by using heat, filtration,
chemical or radiation etc.
Overall, heat is the best means of sterilization, but other methods are used
for heat labile objects.
Summery
Dry heat requires more time than wet heat to kill organisms ,boiling kills
most vegetative cells but not bacterial spores & pressure cookers
&autoclaves achieve sterilization
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Ananthanarayan ,Paniker's. Textbook of microbiology, (8th edition) page
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Purohit S S, Microbiology fundamentals and applications. (6th
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Michael J. Pelzar, Microbiology.(5
th
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491.
Hugo and Russell 's, Pharmaceutical Microbiology. page no.336-345.
Dr. R. C. Dubey, Dr. D. K. Maheshwari, A textbook of microbiology. page
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