Final answer:
Sterilization is the complete elimination or killing of all microbes, while decontamination involves reducing their presence(option a). Various methods such as disinfection, sanitization, pasteurization, and ultra-pasteurization can be used for decontamination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sterilization is the complete elimination or killing of all microbes, including vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses, from an item or environment. It is used in laboratory, medical, manufacturing, and food industry settings where complete removal of potentially infectious agents is necessary. Sterilization can be achieved through physical means, like heat or filtration, or chemical means using sterilants.
Decontamination, on the other hand, involves the reduction of microbes rather than their complete elimination. It aims to make an item or environment safe by removing harmful organisms to a level deemed safe for public health. Decontamination can be achieved through various methods such as disinfection, sanitization, pasteurization, and ultra-pasteurization. These methods differ in terms of their effectiveness and the extent to which they reduce microbial presence.