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Sterilization is an absolute term in which there is complete removal of all kind of microorganism from the given object.
Sterilization (or sterilisation) refers to any process that eliminates, removes, kills, or deactivates all forms of life and other biological agents such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spore forms, prions, unicellular eukaryotic organisms such as Plasmodium, etc.
There is some limitation in heat sterilization like- these are not suitable for those objects which are heat sensitive and may get destroyed in the presence of heat, so to overcome such limitation we use the chemical method of sterilization. chemical methods of sterilization include the use of following chemicals and here we have also included their mode of action.
1. Alcohols dehydrate cells, disrupt membranes and cause coagulation of protein. Examples: Ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and methyl alcohol
2. ALDEHYDES: Mode of action: Acts through alkylation of amino-, carboxyl- or hydroxyl group, and probably damages nucleic acids. It kills all microorganisms, including spores. Examples: Formaldehyde, Glutaraldehyde
3. Phenol act by disruption of membranes, precipitation of proteins and inactivation of enzymes. Examples: 5% phenol, 1-5% Cresol, 5% Lysol (a saponified cresol), hexachlorophene, chlorhexidine, chloroxylenol (Dettol)
4. Halogen is oxidizing agents and causes damage by oxidation of essential sulfhydryl groups of enzymes. Chlorine reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid, which is microbicidal. Examples: Chlorine compounds (chlorine, bleach, hypochlorite) and iodine compounds (tincture iodine,iodophores)
5. Heavy Metals act by precipitation of proteins and oxidation of sulfhydryl groups. They are bacteriostatic. Examples: Mercuric chloride, silver nitrate, copper sulfate, organic mercury salts (e.g., mercurochrome, Merthiolate)