Which of the following is achieved with moist heat, dry heat, gas or chemicals?

Sanitization refers to reducing the number of microorganisms to a safe level, as determined by public health standards. While it can involve heat or chemicals, it does not guarantee the complete destruction of all microbes, as sterilization does. Therefore, sanitization is a less rigorous process than sterilization.

Disinfection involves the elimination of most pathogenic microorganisms, except spores, from inanimate objects. It usually employs chemical agents or heat but does not achieve the complete microbial kill that sterilization does. Thus, disinfection is a step below sterilization in terms of microbial control.

Decontamination is a broad term that encompasses the processes of sanitization, disinfection, and sterilization, focused on removing or neutralizing contaminants. While it can involve moist heat or chemicals, it does not specifically imply the complete destruction of all microorganisms, which is a requirement for sterilization.