Dialysis Technician Practice Exam

What method is capable of killing bacteria but may not eliminate all of them?

1. Filtration

2. Dissinfection

3. Boiling

4. Pasteurization

The correct answer is: Dissinfection

Disinfection is a method used to reduce or eliminate harmful microorganisms, including bacteria, on surfaces or in liquids. While it is effective at killing many types of bacteria and other pathogens, it may not eliminate all of them, particularly certain resistant strains or spores. This is why disinfection is often referred to as a process that lowers the microbial load instead of achieving complete sterility. Understanding the context of this method is important. For example, disinfection is typically used in healthcare settings where the goal is to ensure a safe environment, but complete sterility is not always necessary or feasible for all surfaces or materials. As such, this method is crucial in environments where infection control is a priority but must be supplemented with other sterilization techniques for items that require complete pathogen removal. Other methods mentioned have their own applications and limitations. Filtration, for instance, is primarily a physical separation process and may not kill bacteria but can remove them based on size. Boiling water can kill a wide range of pathogens, but certain heat-resistant spores can survive. Pasteurization, commonly used in food processing, kills many harmful bacteria but is designed to retain food quality and may not achieve sterilization either. Thus, while all these methods play important roles in controlling microbial presence,