Microorganism Sterilization and Disinfection Methods - For any microbiological culture, firstly, it is necessary to have a contamination free seed culture, and secondly the equipment and media that are used, should be fully sterilized. In large scale installations, heat (dry or steam) is the most important means for sterilization, since vegetative cells of most micro organisms are rapidly eliminated by heating the culture.

The equipment is generally sterilized at temperatures that are not very high, although for destroying spores (especially of bacteria) temperatures as high as 12rc are needed (Table 26'1). Other sterilization techniques involve use of radiation (UV, X- rays), chemicals or mechanical removal of organisms.