Final answer:
Heat sterilization involves using high temperatures to achieve complete microbial eradication, via dry-heat or moist-heat methods. Autoclaves for moist-heat sterilization are superior for many applications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Heat sterilization is a technique used to eliminate all forms of microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, and especially hardy spores, from various objects. This process is crucial in laboratory and medical settings to prevent contamination and ensures the safety of subsequent procedures. There are two principal methods of heat sterilization: dry-heat sterilization and moist-heat sterilization.
Dry-heat sterilization involves the use of high temperatures, typically at least 170°C for a minimum of two hours, using devices such as ovens or incinerators. While effective, it has its limitations, particularly in terms of the types of materials that can withstand such high temperatures without damage.
Moist-heat sterilization is performed by using autoclaves, which employ steam to reach temperatures above the boiling point of water, thus sterilizing items without causing harm. The autoclave, designed by Charles Chamberland in 1879, is still regarded as the most robust method for sterilization due to its effectiveness in eliminating all microbial life, including endospores, which are known to survive at boiling temperatures.