What process is specifically designed to kill bacterial spores?

The process that is specifically designed to kill bacterial spores is sterilization. Sterilization involves the complete elimination of all forms of microbial life, including bacterial spores, viruses, and fungi, from a material or surface. This process is vital in healthcare settings, laboratories, and anywhere sterile conditions are necessary to prevent infection or contamination.

Sterilization can be achieved through various methods such as autoclaving, which uses high-pressure steam, or through chemical means, ionizing radiation, or dry heat, each capable of reaching the temperatures and conditions necessary to destroy spores that are resistant to many other forms of microbial control.

In contrast, disinfection is intended to reduce or eliminate pathogens but does not necessarily kill all microbial forms, especially resistant spores. Sanitization refers to lowering the number of microorganisms to a safe level, typically through cleaning methods. Aseptic technique involves practices designed to prevent contamination by pathogens but does not equate to sterilization itself. Therefore, sterilization is the correct answer as it is the only process specifically aimed at eliminating bacterial spores.