Can you tell me times, power levels, loading etc.
2006-12-15 02:33:17 · 5 answers · asked by christopher N 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
No---the autoclave is is mort effective because, besides heat it also adds pressure and high humidity into the equation.It allow rupture of the cell wall and the cell membrane.
2006-12-15 02:40:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, a microwave heats unevenly as my many partially burned and frozen TV dinners demonstrate.
A microwave will kill bacteria where it does heat the material to the appropriate temp, but usually there will be pockets and patches of whatever is in the microwave that will not reach the temp and will continue to contain live bacteria.
On the other hand an autoclave relies on steam for the even distribution of heat to all surfaces. If it is hot enough that steam will heat all of the components to the point that they are sterilized. The autoclave also relies on pressure to allow a liquid to be heated beyond the normal atmospheric boiling point. This allows liquids to be sterilized.
A liquid can be sterilized in a microwave but it would be boiling over, and much of it would be lost to the boiling. Some especialy hardy bacteria may require long periods of boiling at high temps, and that is difficult to achieve in a microwave.
2006-12-15 04:38:19 · answer #2 · answered by Dr Fred 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't think so, i never used the microwave to sterilise anything although we have both microwave and autoclave
2006-12-15 05:32:57 · answer #3 · answered by Prof. Hubert Farnsworth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
haha, attempt this in a lab and you'd be in serious trouble my friend! Autoclave is much more reliable and safer
2006-12-15 23:01:54 · answer #4 · answered by starla_o0 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if you bring the liquid to boil
2006-12-15 02:40:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋