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Chlorine (halogen)
- gas or inorganic/inorganic form
- Widely used in municipal water
- Very effective against gram positive bacteria, virus, fungi
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Iodine (halogen)
more reactive and germicidal
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Phenols
- very active against Gram positives
- Reduced activity in presence of organic matter
- Cresol (Creosote)
- Hexylresorcinol – mouthwash
- Lysol
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Heavy Metals
- very reactive with proteins by disrupting enzymes
- Not a sporicidal agent
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Mercury (heavy metal)
- Mercuric chloride
- Mercurochrome
- Thimerosal
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Copper (heavy metal)
Copper sulfate – used in swimming pools, water supplies
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Silver
Silver nitrate – 1% solution placed in eyes of newborns to kill
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Alcohol
- usually in the form of 70% ethanol
- this concentration is the most effective
- Generally effective against bacteria, not spores
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Formaldehyde
- Typically in the form of formalin (which is a 37% formaldehyde concentration)
- Kills bacteria and inactivates viruses
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Ethylene oxide
- Discovery and use allowed plastic Petri dishes and syringes to be sterilized without harm
- Excellent penetration and sporicidal activity
- Very toxic, but cheap way to use plastic
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Hydrogen Peroxide
- Common agent for rinsing wounds, scrapes, and abrasions
- H2O2 + catalase =“superoxide” radicals
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Soaps
- hydrophobic
- Mixture of fatty acids combined with potassium or sodium hydroxideMechanically removes microorganisms
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Chemotherapeutic Agents
Generally refers to chemical substance that has been synthesized or result of modification of a pre-existing chemical
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Antibiotics
Substance that is anatural product of a microorganism (or some other animal source)
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