Final answer:
The only way to ensure the destruction of infectious agents is through sterilization, which removes or kills all types of microbes. Antiseptics are used on living tissues for microbial control. Filtration physically removes microbes without killing them, and phenol was historically used as a benchmark for the effectiveness of disinfectants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The only way to make sure infectious agents are destroyed is through sterilization. Sterilization refers to the complete removal or killing of all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses from an item or environment. It can be done through physical methods like high heat and pressure, or chemical means using sterilants, which are effective against all microbes including endospores given sufficient exposure time.
For microbial control on tissues to prevent infection, the suitable option is an antiseptic. Antiseptics are antimicrobial chemicals safe enough to be used on living tissues, and they work to reduce the presence of microbes to prevent infections.
The microbial control method that does not kill or inhibit growth but instead physically removes microbes from samples is filtration. Filtration involves passing air or liquid through a filter that captures microbes, effectively removing them from the sample without necessarily killing them.
The effectiveness of chemical disinfectants was historically compared to phenol, which was considered the standard disinfectant in the past. Disinfectants, unlike sterilants, do not achieve complete destruction of all microorganisms, especially resistant forms like endospores.