Chemical Sterilization

Antiseptics and Disinfectants

Antiseptics:
Chemical agents that are used on the skin and
mucous membranes to remove or kill
microorganisms.
Antiseptics should be used only on the skin and
mucous membranes.
Antiseptics should never be used on instruments or
other items or surfaces.
Antiseptics are indicated for
Surgical hand scrub
Skin, cervical, and vaginal preparation before a
clinical procedure
Disinfectants:
Used on inanimate objects, such as
instruments and surfaces, to kill
microorganisms
Examples include chlorine and
glutaraldehyde
Should be used only for processing
instruments and other items for reuse

 Indicated for processing instruments and other

items and Cleaning surfaces
Disinfectants are not to be used on the skin or
mucous membranes
Instruments and other items should not be left
soaking indefinitely or stored in disinfectant
solutions.
1) Phenol
Phenol (carbolic acid) is:
one of the first chemical agents used as an
antiseptic.
the standard compound with which other
disinfectants are compared.
Mode of action
Altering selective permeability of the
cytoplasmic membrane, causing leakage of
vital intracellular substances.
Denature and inactivate proteins (enzymes)
2) Alcohols
Modes of action:
-Denaturation of proteins
-Lipid solvents damage the lipid
structures within
cell membrane

-Cleansing or detergent action

mechanical removal.
Practical Application:
-Ethyl alcohol 70%
-Isopropyl alcohol 90%
-Alcohol + iodine 70% alcohol + 0.5
2% iodine
-Disinfections of skin, delicate surgical
instruments, thermometers
-Effective against vegetative MOS
-Not effective to bacterial endospores.
-Effective against viruses.
3)Halogens
Halogens are strong oxidizing agents
are highly reactive and destructive to vital
compounds within the microbial cell.
Examples include: Iodine, Chlorine, Bromine (to
a leaser extent) are components of many
antimicrobial chemicals.
A)Iodine
Mode of action:
-Strong oxidizing agent, it can destroy essential
metabolic compounds of MOS through
oxidation.

-Iodine is rapidly bactericidal, fungicidal,

virucidal, and
sporicidal
-used as antiseptic and disinfectant
b) Chlorine
strong oxidizing agent
Bactericidal, sporicidal, virucidal
Sodium hypochlorite solutions are widely used
for hard-surface disinfection
4:Heavy Metals and Their Compounds
metals such as mercury, Lead, Zink, Silver,
and Copper.
Their action is inactivation of cellular
proteins by combining with some
components of the protein.

1.Silver Compounds : Silver compounds

(e.g., silver nitrate and silver
sulphadiazine)
Silver compounds have been used to
prevent the infection of burns and some
eye infections
2.Mercury containing used for the
treatment of minor cuts, wounds, and skin
infections

3.Cupper containing
E.g. Cupper sulfate (CuSO4) effective as
an algicide in open bodies of water
4.Zink containing fungicidal and are used
in ointments and powders to treat athletes
foot.
5.Oxidizing agents

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)

Active against viruses, bacteria and yeast
but a higher concentration (10 30%) and
long contact time is needed to be sporicidal
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a widely used
for disinfection, sterilization, and antisepsis