CONTROL OF MICROORGANISMS
In this world of microorganisms, man has continued
to benefit from the useful activities of these minute
creatures while at the same time suffering the
devastation of their unintended harmful activities.
To curtail these harmful effects, different methods
have been used to control their growth and
multiplication. These are broadly classified into
physical, chemical and mechanical control methods.
Different techniques based on these methods have
been developed.
PHYSICAL METHODS
Heat
Cold eg refrigeration, Radiation
freezing
Dry heat eg: Moist heat eg:
incineration or steam under
burning pressure, boiling
water, hot water
Ionizing radiaton Non-ionizing
eg: x-ray, cathod radiation eg: UV
ray, gamma ray light.
CHEMICAL METHOD
Gases eg: SO2, SO3, H2S Liquids eg: organic
etc acids, inorganic acids,
bases, heavy metals,
hyrocarbons etc
Disinfection Sterilization
Animate Inanimate
Chemotherapy Antisepsis Disinfection Chemical
sterilization
MECHANICAL CONTROL
Filteration eg: air
and liquid filteration
Air Liquid
Disinfection Sterilization
TECHNIQUES USED IN MICROBIAL
GROWTH CONTROL
Antisepsis: This involves the use of mild or dilute chemical agents to
stop the growth of micoorganisms. These agents are called antiseptics.
Examples of antiseptics are Detols, Purits, Soaps/detergents etc.
They are primarily microbiostatic; ie they stop microbial growth.
At high concentration or longer duration of exposure, they may be
microbiocidal; ie they kill microbes.
They are applied on both animate and inanimate objects.
They do not harm animal hosts.
Disinfection: - Complete destruction of vegetative pathogens (not
endospores) on inanimate objects using chemical agents (Disinfectants).
Examples include jik, conc. Acids etc.
They are destined to be microbiocidal.
They are not applied on animal tissues.
Sterilization: - complete destruction of all viable microbes, viruses or
endospores using chemical or physical agents.
Autoclaving: This involves boiling under pressure of up to 15 pounds
per square inch, temperature of 1210C for 15 minutes. This technique kills
all microbes including endospores
Pasteurization: This is used to reduce microbial load of milk and dairy
products. It involves:
Steaming for 30mins at about 620C.(holding method).
Steaming for 15-17 sec at about 720C (flash method).
Ultra pasteurization involves heating to 820C for 3 sec.
Pasteurization does not achieve sterilization.
Tyndalization: A technique developed by John Tynddal: It involves
steam-heating at intervals (1 hr/day) to encourage germination of bacterial
endospores into vegetative phase which is finally destroyed at subsequent
heating.
Boiling: Heating to 1000C to kill most microbes and viruses.
Dry heat: Using flame or electric heating coil at about 3000C to kill
microbes.
Dry oven: Kills at 150-1800C.
Refrigeration: This stops or slows down microbial growth at about 4-
80C.
Freezing: At ≤ 00C, growth of microbes completely stops. Lyophilization
(freeze-drying) is used to preserve organisms eg: Lactic acid bacteria
Radiation:
Ionizing radiation (eg x-ray, ᵧ- ray, cathod ray: ionizes water to release OH-
and damages DNA.
Non- ionizing radiation (eg UV light) damages DNA at 260nm wavelength.
Microwaves: Kills by heat.
Filtration: This involves passing liquids or gases through a filter to sterilize heat-sensitive
reagents. This can be done by means of cotton wool, paper or membrane filters.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
Population size: A lethal agent of fairly constant intensity kills a particular
amount of microbes at a time. Therefore, a denser population requires
higher dose of antimicrobial agent to be killed at the same time.
Nature of the organism (Population composition): some
organisms are more resistant or susceptible to antimicrobial agents than
others. Eg: Mycobacteria are much more resistant to most antibiotics. Also
endospores are resistant most lethal agents as against vegetative organisms.
Concentration or intensity of the antimicrobial Agents: The
higher the concentration or intensity, the faster the killing process.
Duration of Exposure: The longer the organisms are exposed to
antimicrobial agents, the more organisms are destroyed. An antiseptic
agent may disinfect a surface at longer duration of exposure..
Temperature: This influences the activities of chemical agents; they are
more effective at higher temperature.
Organisms Local Environment: This include pH, organic matter biofilms etc.
Heat kills more readily at acidic pH.
Organic matters shield organisms from heat and chemical disinfectants.
Bacteria in biofilms are physiologically different from normal colonies and
this makes them more resistant to temperature and antimicrobial agents.
