What are the opposite words for sterilization?

The term sterilization refers to the process of eliminating all microorganisms from a particular surface or object. Some antonyms for sterilization could include contamination, infection, or pollution. These words are opposite in meaning to sterilization as they refer to the presence of microorganisms rather than their eradication. Contamination relates to the presence of harmful substances or microorganisms, while infection denotes the invasion of microorganisms or parasites causing harm to the body. Pollution, on the other hand, refers to the introduction or presence of harmful substances in the environment that can be dangerous to living organisms.