Total mold, mildew, fungus and bacterial annihilation

[The Snark]

Test subject: 150 gallon terrarium sitting in a back yard filled with detritus and other organic gunk. Definitely primordial soup. I emptied out the water and installed a hot plate on which I placed a stainless steel pot filled with bleach. Covering the tank with plywood I turned it on low heat and let it cook the pot dry until I used up the entire gallon. .
To paraphrase Fezzik, "There were no survivors."
The pot was also a little worse for wear. And the dead organism-bleach stench would put a ghoul off it's lunch. Now the minor little problem is the residual chlorine compounds make the environs surrounding Death Valley's Furnace Creek seem a verdant tropical rainforest. Nothing is entirely perfect. On the bright side, the glass shrugged off the corrosion in grand style.

 

[RoachCoach]

Do you have some sodium hydroxide? just toss a cup or two in the next one. The diluted NaOH will be harmless when you pour it out. Be sure you are wearing safety gear when handling it though. It will also clean ANY baked on crap on your glassware.

 

[The Snark]

Do you have some sodium hydroxide? just toss a cup or two in the next one

Glad you mentioned it. I've got a little problem with chemicals I get here. I've got 2 kg is supposed 50% NaOH but it is discolored brown and is in a partly powdery, partly pellet consistency and is in a questionable container. I know from experience the quality control of chemicals here is not up to the standards I'm used to so I've just set it aside and put it on ignore. Haven't been all that excited about discovering contaminated crud exothermic properties.
So when you suggest toss a cup or two in, I assume a solution. What concentration?
They handle chemicals a little differently here. When I bought 20 kg of 90% HNO3 and 100 kg of 95% H2SO4 I had to write my name and address down! Very strict controls here. But I can't buy Sudafed. Banned!

 

[The Snark]

@RoachCoach I missed the forest for the trees back there with my chemical warfare. I'm looking for a cheap readily available biocidal gas. The target is mold spores. Armor clad, the most durable organisms on the planet.
Chlorine solutions kill some but mostly inhibit their growth. But chlorine has two problems. The molecules are one shot deals. Get enough organic material involved and the solution runs out of chemical reactions. And chlorine isn't wet. Big clunky molecules that have trouble targeting a 2 micron spore. Alternatively I've been experimenting with acetic acid. It's nicely wet and it's the gift that keeps on giving. Chews through spore walls and small enough to damage viruses. But it's slow and depending on temperature and concentration can take 24 to 48 hours to do it's chemical warfare thing.
And then, both chlorine and acetic acid are liquid solutions and there are lots of places for spores to hide that only a gas can access. Any suggestions?

 

[RoachCoach]

When I bought 20 kg of 90% HNO3 and 100 kg of 95% H2SO4 I had to write my name and address down!

haha, I didn't even factor in your location. Ya, they don't want you dissolving bodies in bulk. Other than caustic soda, if you are looking for sterilizing gases you will need to speak with your local surgical supply. And it will not.be.cheap. AT ALL. high heat like you use is going to destroy most of what you need to. The integrity of any containers you plan to use will be in question though. Heat is probably your cheapest method.

 

[The Snark]

Heat is probably your cheapest method.

I've burned out two hair dryers so far. Problem is stachybotrus chartarum spores can withstand up to 300C. And then of course, the mold that has penetrated porous surfaces such as concrete is problematic. Not even some serious exothermic reactions penetrates very far and going whole hog with the heat produces spalling. No happy mediums found so far. Been toying with the thought of using EO but then a whole different crop of hazards come up.