What is the term for the process that destroys all microorganisms?

The process that destroys all microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores, is known as sterilization. This is a critical practice in medical and mortuary science settings to ensure that instruments and environments are completely free from any pathogenic organisms, which is essential for preventing infections and ensuring safety in procedures.

Sterilization can be achieved through various methods, including heat (autoclaving), chemical agents, radiation, and more, depending on the materials being treated and the specific requirements of the process. This complete elimination of all forms of microbial life is what distinguishes sterilization from other processes like disinfection or sanitization, which do not necessarily remove all microorganisms, particularly spores.

Disinfection, while effective in reducing the number of pathogenic microorganisms, does not eliminate all of them and is typically used for surfaces and equipment that do not need to be completely sterile. Similarly, sanitization refers to a process that reduces the number of microorganisms to safe levels as determined by public health standards, but again does not ensure complete sterility. Purification generally pertains to the removal of impurities and contaminants from water or substances but doesn’t specifically address microorganisms in the same way that sterilization does.