Final answer:
Peracetic acid is used for sterilizing video cameras and light cords and is effective as both a liquid and a plasma, capable of killing endospores and not affected by catalases or peroxidases. It breaks down into environmentally safe compounds and is a strong oxidizing agent that can lead to sterilization with proper exposure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Video cameras and light cords should be sterilized using peracetic acid. Sterilization is the process that achieves the complete removal or killing of all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses from an item or environment. One commonly used sterilant is peracetic acid, which can be highly effective even at low concentrations. It is capable of killing endospores and is not inactivated by catalases and peroxidases.
Additionally, peracetic acid breaks down into environmentally safe compounds, making it an attractive choice for sterilization in medical settings.
Peracetic acid can be used as a liquid or introduced as a plasma, and it readily kills endospores, making it more effective than hydrogen peroxide. It is a strong oxidizing agent that produces free radicals in microbial cells, leading to macromolecular damage and cell death.
This makes peracetic acid both an effective sterilant and a high-level disinfectant that, with proper exposure time, can achieve sterilization.
Therefore answer is a) Peracetic Acid.