What are Antiseptics and Disinfectants?
The substances that slow down the growth or just stop the growth of microorganisms are known as antiseptics. They are most commonly used in various medical settings such as hospitals in order to reduce the risk of infection during surgical procedures and other medical procedures. Examples of antiseptics include hand washes, hand rubs, skin preparations, and so on.
The chemical agents that are applied, to destroy the bacteria, fungi, viruses, molds, and other microorganisms, over the non-living objects to destroy are known as disinfectants. Disinfectants are most commonly used in industrial or commercial facility maintenance. Examples of disinfectants include alcohol, formaldehyde, peracetic acid, and so on.
Antiseptics and Disinfectants - Types
Some of the different types of antiseptics and disinfectants are listed below-
Antiseptics and Disinfectants- Difference
Most of the time antiseptics and disinfectants are used interchangeably since antiseptics are sometimes called skin disinfectants which creates confusion. But both antiseptics and disinfectants are completely different terms and the key difference is that disinfectants are applied to non living surfaces as they are used t kill germs present on non-living surfaces while antiseptics are directly applied to the body as they kill the microorganisms present on your skin. For instance, when you visit a doctor he applies antiseptic on the person’s body which is to be operated on and uses a disinfectant in order to sterilize the operating table. A common ingredient that is present in both antiseptic and disinfectants is hydrogen peroxide.
A chemical agent known as a biocide is used in both antiseptics and disinfectants but the concentration of biocide in antiseptics is lower than that in disinfectants.
FAQs on Antiseptic and Disinfectant
1. How does a disinfectant destroy the micro-organisms?
A disinfectant is a type of antimicrobial agent. A disinfectant would not kill all the microorganisms since it is not as effective when compared to sterilization. The sterilization process tends to kill all kinds of living organisms, however, a disinfectant tends to kill only specific kinds of microorganisms. It is usually applied onto a floor or drainage system. Most of the cleaning products used in our offices and homes are disinfectants.
2. What are antimicrobial agents?
An antimicrobial is a kind of an agent which tends to kill microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial medicines are divided based on their action against the microorganisms. An example is that antibiotics are used against the action of bacteria and antifungal medicines are used for treating fungal infections. They are also classified based on their functions. Agents which kill the microorganisms are microbicidal, whereas, on the other hand, the ones that prevent their growth are known as biostatic.
3. What are some of the uses of antiseptics?
Some uses of the antiseptics are listed below-
Antiseptics are used as hand scrubs and hand rubs by medical professionals in order to clean their hands and kill any germs present on them.
Before inserting a catheter, antiseptics are applied to the bladder, urethra, or vagina in order to clean the area.
Before performing any kind of surgery antiseptics are used on the skin in order to protect from harmful microorganisms present on the skin.
In order to reduce the risk of infections from minor cuts, wounds, and burns OTC antiseptics can be applied.
To help with sore throats throat lozenges can be used which contain antiseptic in order to kill the bacteria if any present in the throat.
4. How safe are antiseptics when applied to the skin?
There may be chemical burns or severe irritation on the skin because of some strong antiseptics without being diluted in water. Sometimes, even diluted antiseptics if left off on the skin for too long can cause irritation, and this irritation is referred to as irritant contact dermatitis. Therefore, in order to avoid such situations, OTC antiseptics should not be used on serious wounds which include deep wounds, animal bites, eye injuries, severe burns, and so on.
5. What is meant by antibacterials?
Chemicals used by people to clean areas of skin are known as antibacterials which include sprays and soaps. Though the antibacterials are effective in slowing the growth and killing the bacteria, they are not enough to kill the viruses and prevent the viruses from growing. Therefore, these are mainly used against bacteria and are considered to be the most important antimicrobial agent in order to fight bacterial infections. Examples of antibacterials may include hand lotions, toothpaste, mouth-washes, and so on.
6. What is meant by antibiotics?
The type of prescribed medicines which are used in order to treat bacterial infections. It can be applied to the skin directly or the mucous membranes. Antibiotics can also be taken orally in order to treat a variety of infections present inside the body. All the drugs which lead to the killing of germs inside your body are considered to be antibiotics. Examples of antibiotics include penicillins, macrolides, quinolones, and so on. To learn more about Antibiotics and for a better understanding of the concept, students can visit Vedantu.
7. What is meant by an air disinfectant?
The disinfectants consisting of chemical substances which are capable of killing the microorganisms present or suspended in the air are known as air disinfectants. Glycols are considered to be effective air disinfectants. Air disinfectants are dispersed in the air in the form of vapor or aerosol in order to reduce the number of viable microorganisms which can cause infection.
