Chemicals that kill organisms are called cidal agents. Those that inhibit growth are called static agents. Determining the minimum concentration necessary to kill or inhibit bacterial growth assesses the effectiveness of an antibacterial chemical agent. Describe how the minimum inhibitory concentration of a bactericidal agent is determined. Antiseptics can be used to decontaminate living tissues.
Disinfectants are chemical compounds used to decontaminate or sterilize nonliving material.
These compounds are used in many commercial, health care, and industrial applications. Distinguish between an antiseptic and a disinfectant. Synthetic chemotherapeutic agents exhibit selective toxicity for bacteria, and are safe to take internally. Growth factor analogs, such as sulfanilamide, are synthetic metabolic inhibitors. Quinolones inhibit the action of DNA gyrase in bacteria.