Disinfection destroys disease-causing microorganisms called pathogens.

Disinfection destroys disease-causing microorganisms called pathogens.

• A. Disinfection sterilizes all water
• B. Disinfection never affects pathogens
• C. Disinfection destroys disease-causing microorganisms called pathogens
• D. Disinfection adds nutrients

Answer: (C)

Disinfection is about inactivating or killing microorganisms that can cause disease in order to make water safer for people to use. Pathogens are those disease-causing organisms, so the goal of disinfection is to destroy them or render them nonviable. That’s why the statement that disinfection destroys disease-causing microorganisms called pathogens is the best description. Disinfection does not sterilize all water, which would mean removing every living organism from every drop. The aim is to reduce pathogens to safe levels, not achieve total sterility. It also obviously affects pathogens, so saying it never affects them isn’t accurate. And disinfection isn’t about adding nutrients to the water.

Disinfection is about inactivating or killing microorganisms that can cause disease in order to make water safer for people to use. Pathogens are those disease-causing organisms, so the goal of disinfection is to destroy them or render them nonviable. That’s why the statement that disinfection destroys disease-causing microorganisms called pathogens is the best description.

Disinfection does not sterilize all water, which would mean removing every living organism from every drop. The aim is to reduce pathogens to safe levels, not achieve total sterility. It also obviously affects pathogens, so saying it never affects them isn’t accurate. And disinfection isn’t about adding nutrients to the water.