What is glutaraldehyde used for

Glutaraldehyde is an organic compound with the chemical formula C₅H₈O₂. CAS 111-30-8 belongs to the aldehyde class, and its molecular structure contains two aldehyde groups (-CHO). It is an important chemical reagent and disinfectant and sterilizer. Glutaraldehyde is a highly efficient disinfectant and sterilizer with broad-spectrum bactericidal effects. It has a good killing effect on bacterial propagules, spores, viruses, fungi, etc. Its applications are extensive, mainly concentrated in medical, health, industrial and other fields, as follows:

The medical field

Disinfection and sterilization of medical devices: Glutaraldehyde is often used for the disinfection or sterilization of heat-sensitive medical devices, such as endoscopes (gastroscopes, colonoscopes, etc.), surgical instruments (scissors, forceps, etc.), dialyzers, anesthesia equipment, etc. It can function through methods such as soaking. For instance, when disinfecting a gastroscope, soaking it in a glutaraldehyde solution of an appropriate concentration can effectively kill pathogenic microorganisms on the instrument, ensuring the safety of medical operations.

Skin and mucous membrane disinfection: In some special circumstances, low concentrations of glutaraldehyde can be used for skin and mucous membrane disinfection. However, due to its strong irritability, its application range is relatively limited, and it is more often used for local and small area disinfection treatment.

The field of health and epidemic prevention

Environmental disinfection: It can be used to disinfect the surfaces of hospital wards, operating rooms, laboratories and other places, and also to disinfect the environment of infectious disease epidemic areas to cut off the transmission route and prevent the spread of pathogenic microorganisms.

Disinfection of items: For some public health products, such as towels, bed sheets, tableware, etc., glutaraldehyde can also be used for disinfection when necessary to ensure the hygiene and safety of these items.

المجال الصناعي

In industrial water treatment, Glutaraldehyde can be used as a biocide to control the growth of microorganisms in water and prevent them from causing corrosion and blockage to water treatment equipment and pipelines.

Leather and paper industry: Glutaraldehyde In the leather industry, glutaraldehyde can be used in the tanning treatment of leather, which can improve the stability and water resistance of leather. Glutaraldehyde can be used in the papermaking industry for the anti-corrosion treatment of paper and to extend the storage time of paper.

Scientific research field

In microbiological research, glutaraldehyde is often used as a fixative to fix microbial specimens, facilitating observation and study under a microscope. Glutaraldehyde can keep the cellular structure of microorganisms stable, preventing them from deforming or being damaged during subsequent processing and observation.

It should be noted that glutaraldehyde has a certain degree of irritation. When using it, the operating procedures must be strictly followed to avoid direct contact with the skin and mucous membranes. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation in the usage environment.