What is the difference between disinfection and decontamination

What is the difference between cleaning, disinfection, sterilisation and decontamination? Samuel Kurn. Follow us on:. Sychem help you make the right decision for your business Would you be able to identify the differences between cleaning, disinfection, sterilisation and decontamination?

What follows are the definitions of each. Share this article:. Share on linkedin. Share on twitter. The term germicide includes both antiseptics and disinfectants.

Antiseptics are germicides applied to living tissue and skin; disinfectants are antimicrobials applied only to inanimate objects. In general, antiseptics are used only on the skin and not for surface disinfection, and disinfectants are not used for skin antisepsis because they can injure skin and other tissues. Virucide, fungicide, bactericide, sporicide, and tuberculocide can kill the type of microorganism identified by the prefix.

For example, a bactericide is an agent that kills bacteria. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Infection Control. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. On This Page. Definition of Terms. Get Email Updates. To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address. What's this? Return to Guidelines Library. Expand Collapse all Definitions Decontamination is a process or treatment that renders a device, instrument, or work surface safe to handle.

General Procedures Decontamination of cultures and objects contaminated by biological agents is routinely performed in microbiological laboratories. Infectious wastes such as liquid and solid will be handled, treated and disposed of according to biological waste policies and procedures.

Liquid wastes such as bacterial or viral culture media from BSL2 labs will be treated with appropriate disinfectant prior to sink disposal. Solid wastes from the BSL2 laboratories will be segregated and placed in biohazard containers lined with biohazardous waste bags and disposed of as biological wastes. This waste is sealed by the laboratory and shipped off-site for sterilization see Waste Chart posted in the laboratory for more information. All wastes from the BSL3 laboratories will be inactivated before disposal from the laboratory see Chapter 9: Biohazardous and Medical Waste Disposal A disinfectant should be chosen that is appropriate for the organism in use.

All liquid biological cultures should be deactivated with appropriate disinfectant. All solid biological waste should be disposed of in the biohazard waste containers. Waste created in BSL-3 laboratories is required to be autoclaved prior to removal from the laboratory see Chapter 9: Biohazardous and Medical Waste Disposal. Methods of Decontamination The three main categories of physical and chemical decontamination are heat, liquid disinfection, and vapors and gases. Material to be sterilized must come into contact with steam and heat.

Indicators of proper autoclave operation e. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Medical Waste Management Act has specific quality-control requirements for autoclaves used for sterilization of medical waste.

When using an autoclave, the following guidelines should be taken into consideration: Biohazardous materials should not be placed in autoclaves overnight in anticipation of autoclaving the next day. Autoclaves should not be operated by untrained personnel.

Special precautions should be taken to prevent accidental removal of material from an autoclave before it has been sterilized or the simultaneous opening of both doors on a double door autoclave. However, the total processing time required to achieve decontamination depends on several loading factors, including: the load container heat transfer properties ; the amount of water added to the load; and the weight of the load.

Contact Steam saturation is essential for maximum heat transfer. Dry Heat Requiring higher temperature and longer contact time, dry heat is less effective than moist heat autoclaving.

Effective Against: Vegetative cells: very positive response Lipophilic viruses: very positive response Tubercle bacilli: very positive response Hydrophilic viruses: less positive response Important Characteristics: Eye irritant, toxic, flammable, inactivated by organic matter Potential Application: Surfaces: work and equipment Chlorine Compounds Use Parameters: conc.

Effective Against: Vegetative cells: very positive response Lipophilic viruses: very positive response Tubercle bacilli: very positive response Hydrophilic viruses: very positive response Bacterial spores: less positive response Important Characteristics: May leave residue; corrosive; skin, eye and respiratory irritant; inactivated by organic matter; make up at least weekly Potential Application: Spills, equipment surfaces, instruments, glassware, water baths Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Use Parameters: conc.

Effective Against: Vegetative cells: very positive response Lipophilic viruses: very positive response Important Characteristics: Toxic, inactivated by organic matter Potential Application: Surfaces work and equipment , BSCs, floor maintenance, glassware, instruments Phenolic Compounds Use Parameters: conc.

Effective Against: Vegetative cells: very positive response Lipophilic viruses: very positive response Tubercle bacilli: very positive response Hydrophilic viruses: less positive response Important Characteristics: Leaves residue; corrosive; skin, eye and respiratory irritant; toxic; inactivated by organic matter Potential Application: Surfaces work and equipment , BSCs, floors, spills, glassware, instruments, water baths Iodophor Compounds Use Parameters: conc.

Glutaraldehyde Use Parameters: conc.