CHEMICAL

STERILIZATION
 What is chemical
sterilization?
• refers to a technique of sterilization making
use of a chemical agent. Objects can be
sterilized with products like formaldehyde
 CHEMICAL METHODS
In chemical methods of sterilization we used various chemical agents
that includes
• 1) Phenolic compounds
• 2) Alcohols
• 3) Aldehydes
• 4) Gaseous sterilizers
 Phenols and Phenolics
• Phenol acts as protoplasmic poison,
penetrates & disrupts cell wall and cause
bacterial death by inactivation of essential
enzyme systems.
• Used for decontamination of hospital
laboratory noncritical items. environment
surfaces, medical & including & for surgical
 Alcohols
• Kill bacteria (bactericidal), fungi and viruses.
• Used as skin antiseptic to wipe microbes off
skin before injections.
• Also used for disinfection of thermometer,
probes and external surfaces of stethoscope
 Aldehydes
• Inactivate proteins by forming covalent
cross links with several functional groups.
• Commonly used aldehyde is FORMALIN
(37% aqueous solution).
• Also used to sterilize metal instruments.
 Gaseous Sterilizer
• Denature proteins, by replacing functional
groups
with alkyl groups.
• Also reacts with DNA & RNA.
• These includes:
1) Ethylene Oxide 2) Formaldehyde gas