Final answer:
Autoclaving is best suited for reprocessing surgical instruments exposed to Clostridium as it effectively eradicates all vegetative cells, viruses, and endospores.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most effective method for reprocessing surgical instruments exposed to Clostridium is autoclaving. Autoclaves perform moist-heat sterilization, which involves using high pressure and temperature to not only kill vegetative cells and viruses but also eradicate highly resistant endospores. This process is crucial especially for pathogens like Clostridium, which can survive the conditions that boiling water or chemical disinfectants typically provide. Autoclaves were designed by Charles Chamberland and are still considered the benchmark for sterilization in both clinical and laboratory settings.