Biosafety Manual PDF - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Biosafety Manual
IBC-approved version (May 18, 2010)
In the food industry, the term sanitization has a more specific meaning. According to the
California Retail Food Code (CRFC), sanitization means the application of cumulative heat or
chemicals on cleaned food-contact surfaces that, when evaluated for efficacy, is sufficient to
yield a reduction of five logs, which is equal to a 99.999% reduction, of representative disease
microorganisms of public health importance.
F.2.1.4 Antisepsis
Antisepsis is the application of a liquid antimicrobial chemical to human or animal living tissue.
The purpose of antisepsis is to prevent sepsis by destroying potentially infectious organisms or
by inhibiting their growth and multiplication. Sepsis is the presence of infectious organisms in
the blood or other tissue of the body. No sporicidal activity is implied. Examples of antisepsis
include application of a germicide to the injection site on a research animal, and handwashing
with germicidal solution. With handwashing, the objective includes preventing the spread of
infectious or contaminating agents for safety and quality control.
F.2.2 Antimicrobial Categories
Chemical or physical agents or substances that can decontaminate under ideal conditions have
specific terms with specific meanings. The broadest term for such agents is the term
antimicrobial. Antimicrobial is a chemical or physical agent that can prevent microbial growth
either by some static action or by the direct killing of microbes. Categories of antimicrobials
include:
• Sterilant. An antimicrobial chemical or physical agent that is capable of killing all
microbes including their spores to the sterility assurance level.
• Germicide. An antimicrobial substance or physical agent that kills microbes. Germicides
are a broader category of antimicrobials than disinfectants, since some germicides are
active against endospores and viruses. Germicides, which are also known for the
specific microorganisms they kill, end with the suffix –cidal (e.g., bacteriocide, sporicide,
fungicide, virucide).
• Disinfectant. A chemical germicide or physical agent that is applied to inanimate objects
to kill microbes, but is not capable of killing endospores, some viruses, or
mycobacterium. Disinfectants are typically chemical germicides.
• Antiseptic. A disinfecting chemical agent applied to living tissue and used to prevent
sepsis. Antiseptics are a subset of disinfecting chemical agents. A few agents are
suitable as both disinfectants and antiseptics, although most disinfectants are too harsh
for use on delicate skin.
F.2.3 Antimicrobial Selection and Registered Disinfectants
When using a chemical or physical antimicrobial to ensure decontamination is accomplished for
biosafety purposes (i.e., protection of workers, public, agriculture, or environment):
• There should be information indicating that the selected antimicrobial will be effective
when used in a certain manner for the biological materials or agents and equipment or
surfaces that need to be decontaminated; and
• The antimicrobial should be used in accordance with its antimicrobial activity capabilities
and conditions of use.
Printed copies are not official versions of this manual. Before using the printed copy, verify that it is the most current version.
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