CONTROL OF MICROORGANISMS BY PHYSICAL AGENTS

S.NO. NAME MODE OF ACTION APPLICATION

1. HIGH TEMPERATURE
MOIST HEAT Coagulation of Cellular Autoclave(steam under
Proteins pressue,121˚C at 15lbsq2)

2. FRACTIONAL Coagulation of Cellular Applied for heat sensitive

STERILIZATION Proteins materials, 100˚C for 3
successive days. A few
seconds exposure.
3. BOILING Coagulation of Cellular Do not ensure sterilization,
Proteins only destroy vegetative
cells. Practice of exposing
lab. Instruments provides
disinfection.
4. PATEURIZATION Coagulation of Cellular Exposure at 62.8˚C for
Proteins 30minutes, leads to killing
of vegetative forms only.
Spores and virus sustain
this temperature.
5. DRY HEAT Oxidation of Cellular Proteins Applied for lab. Apparatus
HOT AIR Exposure of 160˚C for 2
STERILIZATION hours.
6. INCINERATION Oxidation of Cellular Proteins Destruction by burning
m.orgs. directly on flame.
Used for hazardous stuff.
7. LOW TEMPERATURE Cessation of Metabolic Storage for longer periods
Activities at temperature 4˚C-7˚C.
Deep Freeze temperature
-20˚C--70˚C.
Liquid Nitrogen -196˚C is
used to preserve cultures of
viruses
8. DESSICATION Cessation of Metabolic Lyophilizer :
Activities by drying(removal of Organisms are subjected to
water)term used is extreme dehydration in
Lyophilization: quick drying frozen state and then sealed
in vacuum. Orgs. remain
viable for years
9. OSMOTIC PRESSURE Distortion of cell via Applied for several food
plasmolysis and plasmoptysis products: pickles, jams and
jellies etc.
10. RADIATIONS Λ2650˚A, absorbed by Nucleic Less penetration power.
ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT Acid where it forms Thymine Destructive microbes
Dimers in which two adjacent present on the surface.
Thymine forms a bond.
Replication is inhibited.
11. X-RAYS High penetration power,ionization Production of mutants
of DNA
12. GAMMA RAYS They create free hydrogen
radicals, hydroxyl radicals and
some peroxides which in turn
causes different kinds of
cellular damages.
13. SURFACE Alteration in permeability
TENSION&INTERFACIAL characteristics of cytoplasmic
TENSION membrane causing leakage of
cellular substances resulting in
cell damage.
14. FILTERATION Straining, variant size of pore
enable even separation of virus.
High penetration power.
commercial sterilization of
packages of considerable
size. Sterilization of
packaged food.
Gas Liquid interface
Immiscible liquid interface
Isolation of certain bacteria
and purification of
Water,Air and any other
desired product.
 CONTROL OF MICROORGANISMS BY CHEMICAL AGENTS
S.No. NAME MODE OF ACTION
1. PHENOL Disruption of cell, precipitation of
cellular proteins, inactivation of
enzymes and leakage of amino
acids from cell.
2. ALCOHOL Protein denaturants and lipid
solvents hence damage lipid
complex in cell membrane,
dehydrating agents may cause
bacteriostatic conditions.
3. HALOGENS Irreversible oxidation and
IODINE inactivation of metabolic
compounds(sulphydral
gp.a.a)may also cause
halogenationof tyrosine residues
of amino acids.
4. CHLORINE Antimicrobial activity comes
through HYPOCHLOROUS
ACID when free chlorine is
added in water, resultantis
nascent oxygen, being strong
oxidizing agent it aids in damage
to cellular constituents.
5. HEAVY METALS & Combining with cellular proteins
THEIR COMPOUNDS and inactivating them. In higher
conc. Coagulate cytoplasmic
proteins, resulting in damage and
death to cell.
6. DYES UNCERTAIN, inhibitory effect
TRIPHENYLMETHANE by interfering with cellular
DYES oxidation processes.
7. ACRIDINE DYES Intercalate with DNA and inhibit
Nucleic Acid synthesis.
8. SYNTHETIC Surface Tension depressants.
DETERGENTS Can be cationic or anionic.
9. QUATERNARY Denaturation of protein,
AMMONIUM interference in glycolysis and
COMPOUNDS membrane damage.(experimental
evidences suggests damages
towards cell membrane)
10. ALDEHYDES Combines with nucleic acid and
FORMALDEHYDE proteins.
APPLICATION
Disinfection of surfaces.
ETHYL ALCOHOL in
conc. Of 50%-90% is
effective againt vegetative
and non-sporing forms
Disinfection of skin, water
and air.
Sterilization of food
utensils.
Water Treatment,
Food industry,
Domestic and Medical Use.
Silver, Gold and Copper,
exhibits antimicrobial
activity, even in very less
concs.
Certain media is made
selective by incorporation
of low conc.
Treatment of burns and
wounds and for ophthalmic
application and bladder
irrigation.
Detergent action. Cationic
detergents are more
germicidal then anionic
compounds.
Used as disinfectants and
sanitizers, preservative of
ophthalmic.
Sterilant. In gaseous form
applied for sterilization of
closed units.
11. GLUTERALDEHYDE Combines with nucleic acid and Broad spectrum of activity.
proteins. Used as an sterilant for
various lab. Equipment.
12. GASEOUS AGENTS Alkylation of cellular proteins. Effective sterilizing agent
ETHYLENE OXIDE for heat and moisture
sensitive materials.
13. β- PROPIOLACTONE Damage to cellular proteins. Effectively destructive for
cells, but less penetration
power and
CARCINOGENICITY
HAS LIMITED ITS
PRACTCAL USE.
 CHEMOTHERPEUTIC AGENTS

S.NO ANTIBIOTICS MODE OF ACTION USES

1. INHIBITION TO CELL WALL Interference with final stages Effective towards Gram
SYNTHESIS of PEPTIDOGLYCAN +ve bacteria
PENECILLINS BIOSYNTHESIS. Inhibtion of
Penecillium notatum transpeptidation reaction.
2. CEPHALOSPORINS Similar to that of penicillin. Less toxic, efficient for
Cephalosporium acremonium Inhibit crosslinking of killing
peptides.
Bactericidal to growing cells.
3. CYCLOSERINE Inhibitory on peptidoglycan, Tuberculosis therapy.
Streptomyces spp. peptide moiety. It inhibits both Due to side effects its
Syntheticall prep. alanine racemase and D- utilization is limited.
alanyl-D-alanine synthetase,
which is involved in synthesis
of side chain.
4. BACITRACIN Interference with regeneration Topical treatment of
Bacillus subtilis of the monophosphate form of infections caused by
bactopreno; from phosphate gram +ve. Being toxic
form. not used for systemic
infections.
5. VANCOMYCIN Inhibit peptidoglycan Effective for Gram +ve
Streptomyces orientalis synthesis by binding D-alanyl- pathogens.
D-alanine group
6. DAMAGE TO CELL Adversely affect permeability Polymyxins are
MEMBRANE of cell. effective against Gram-
POLYMYXINS ve bacteria.
TYROCIDINES&GRAMICIDEINS Tyrocidines and
Gramicidines are
effective towards Gram
+ve bacteria
7. POLYENE Acts on sterol containing cell Polyene, acts on fungi
NYSTATIN membrane. and animal cell but not
Streptomyces nourseii bacteria.
AMPHOTERICIN
STreptomycin nodusa
8. INHIBITION OF NUCLEIC Irreversibly binds with 30s Effective for Gram –ve
ACID AND PROTEIN subunit mRNA. bacteria including
SYNTHESIS Mycobacterium
STREPTOMYCIN tuberculosis
Streptomyces griseus
TETRACYCLINE Interference with the binding
Streptomyces species of aminoacyl-tRNA to 30s
subunit ribosome,
9. ERYTHROMYCIN Inhibit protein synthesis by Effective for Gram +ve
Streptomyces erthraeus combining 50s subunit, sides and –ve bacteria.
associated with
transpeptidation and
translocation.
10. INHIBITION OF SPECIFIC Competitive inhibition Broad Spectrum
ENZYME SYSTEM between an essential effective for various
SULFONAMIDE metabolite PABA and a groups.
metabolite analog a
SULFONAMIDE
11. ANTIFUNGAL ANTIBIOTICS
NYSTATIN Fungicidal, alter cell Restricted to fungi and
Streptomyces nourseii membrane. yeast
GRISEOFULVIN Treatment of some
Penecillium griseofulvin Fungicidal, alter cell systemic mycoses
membrane.
12. ANTIVIRAL AGENTS
INTERFERON Interference in Protein Broadly work for
ACYCLOGUANOSINE Synthesis various.
AMANTADINE Nucleoside analogue Active against Herpes.
Interfere with uncoating of Very effective towards
virus and subsequent release Influenza A virus
of nucleic acid