∞ generated and posted on 2016.02.05 ∞
Physical means of sterilization that functions by substantially oxidizing biomolecules.
The application of dry heat can be more convenient and inexpensive than the use of moist heat, particularly when use of an autoclave can be avoided. Dry heat, however, also requires higher temperatures to achieve sterilization and so is applicable to smaller range of materials than moist heat. Dry heat also can require substantially longer periods of time to achieve sterilization, though flaming is a notable exception:
Flaming → seconds of exposure
Autoclave → minutes of exposure
Oven → houres of exposure
See similarly hot-air sterilization.
While an autoclave can achieve sterilization in 15 min at 121° C, an oven operating at the same temperature can require over 15 hours. This is reduced, however, to 2 hours at 160° C and still higher temperatures can reduce this thermal death time further. See concept of equivalent treatment.