Pharmacology · single question
What is the mechanism of action of a chemical sanitizer/disinfectant such as glutaraldehyde?
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Correct answer: A. Denaturation of proteins
- A. Correct. Sanitizers/disinfectants (and moist-heat sterilization) kill microbes largely by denaturing/coagulating proteins.
- B. DNA gyrase inhibition is the action of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, not chemical disinfectants.
- C. Ribosomal disruption describes certain antibiotics, not surface disinfectants.
- D. Metal chelation (e.g., EDTA) is not the disinfectant mechanism.