title: List of instruments used in microbiological sterilization and disinfection
text: # List of instruments used in microbiological sterilization and disinfection
  
  This is a list of instruments used in microbiological sterilization and disinfection.
  
  ## Instrument list
  
  | Instrument | Uses |
  | - | - |
  | Instrument sterilizers | Used to sterilize instruments in absence of an autoclave |
  | Dressing drums | storage of gowns, cotton, linen, etc. |
  | The microscope | used for visualising minute structures including microbes |
  | Various stains | used to stain microscopic slides to get contrast |
  | Hot air oven | used in sterilizing instruments for various aseptic procedures, specially if that can not be autoclaved like powders |
  | Koch's or Arnold's steam sterilizer | used for steam sterilization |
  | A pressure cooker | used as a portable autoclave |
  | Biological and chemical indicators | Used to ascertain if a certain process has been completed, e.g. spores used in an autoclave are killed if autoclaving is properly done |
  | Filters: | |
  | •Candle filter: | used as household water filters and as filters for large particles in the laboratories |
  | ••Diatomaceous earth filters like the Berkefeld filter | -do- |
  | ••Unglazed porcelain filters like the Chamberland filter | -do- |
  | •Disk filter or Seitz filter | previously used as bacteriological filters; presently obsolete |
  | •Sintered glass filter | used as a good particle filter in laboratories |
  | •Membrane filter and Syringe filter | used as primary bacterial/cell filters in procedures as toxin, immunoglobulin, etc. production, where the product gets denatured on heating |
  | •Air filter | like HEPA filter, used in various laboratories and clean rooms to produce lamellar air flow |
  | Radiation: | |
  | •Gamma ray source | used in sterilization of heat-labile products like plastic or rubber syringes, catheters and gloves |
  | •X-ray source | -do- |
  | •Infrared light source | -do- |
  | •Ultraviolet light source | -do- |
  | Inspissator | used to produce culture media for bacteriology that contain egg or serum, which coagulate on heating |
  | Tyndallizer | a process of sterilization from spore bearing bacteria; video link |
  | Water bath | to heat things uniformly from all sides at a set temperature up to the boiling point of water |
  | Needle Destroyer | Burns the needle electrically either cuts the syringe manually or burns it electrically |
  | Sharps container | A imperforable container for sharp wastes like needles, blades, microscope slides, broken glass, etc. |
  | Cardboard biomedical waste containers | |
  | Reusable tubs | |
  | Colour coded biomedical waste bags (India) | - |
  | •Yellow plastic bags | for human anatomical, animal, microbiological and soiled waste |
  | •Red disinfected container or plastic bags | microbiological waste, solid waste(IV tubes, catheters, etc.) |
  | •Blue or White plastic bag or puncture proof containers | sharps, disposable tubing, etc. |
  | •Black Plastic bag or puncture proof containers | discarded medicines, incineration ash, chemical waste |
  | Disinfectants | for cleaning |
  | Incinerators | to burn biomedical wastes like removed body parts, blood, gauze, linen, etc. |
  