This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Glutaraldehyde is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
| Glutaraldehyde | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| IUPAC name | Pentane-1,5-dial |
| Other names | Pentanedial, Glutural, Glutardialdehyde, Glutaric acid dialdehyde, Glutaric aldehyde, Glutaric dialdehyde, 1,5-Pentanedial |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 111-30-8 |
| PubChem | |
| SMILES |
|
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C5H8O2 |
| Molar mass | 100.12 g mol−1 |
| Appearance | Clear liquid |
| Density | 1.06 g/mL |
| Melting point |
-14 °C, 259 K, 7 °F |
| Boiling point |
187 °C, 460 K, 369 °F |
| Solubility in water | Miscible |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox references |
|
Glutaraldehyde is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor used to sterilize medical and dental equipment. It is also used for industrial water treatment and as a chemical preservative. However, it is toxic, causing severe eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, along with headaches, drowsiness and dizziness.
Glutaraldehyde is an oily liquid at room temperature (density 1.06 g/mL), and miscible with water, alcohol, and benzene. It is used as a tissue fixative in electron microscopy. It is employed as an embalming fluid, is a component of leather tanning solutions, and occurs as an intermediate in the production of certain industrial chemicals. Glutaraldehyde is frequently used in biochemistry applications as an amine-reactive homobifunctional crosslinker. The oligomeric state of proteins can be examined through this application.
Monomeric glutaraldehyde can polymerize by aldol condensation reaction yielding alpha,beta-unsaturated poly-glutaraldehyde. This reaction usually occurs at alkaline pH values.
Uses
A glutaraldehyde solution of 0.1% to 1.0% concentration may be used for system disinfection and as a preservative for long term storage.
Glutaraldehyde is used in biological electron microscopy as a fixative. It kills cells quickly by crosslinking their proteins and is usually employed alone or mixed with formaldehyde as the first of two fixative processes to stabilize specimens such as bacteria, plant material, and human cells. A second fixative procedure uses osmium tetroxide to crosslink and stabilise cell and organelle membrane lipids. Fixation is usually followed by dehydration of the tissue in ethanol or acetone, followed by embedment in an epoxy resin or acrylic resin.
Glutaraldehyde is also used in SDS-PAGE to fix proteins and peptides prior to staining. Typically, a gel is treated with a 5% solution for approximately one half hour, after which it must be thoroughly washed to remove the yellow stain brought about by reacting with free tris.
A polymerized isomer of glutaraldehyde known as polycycloglutaracetal is a fertilizer for aquatic plants. It is claimed that it provides a bioavailable source of carbon for higher plants that is not available to algae. Though not marketed as such due to federal regulations, the biocidal effect of glutaraldehyde kills most algae at concentrations of 0.5 - 5.0 ppm. These levels are not harmful to most aquatic fauna and flora. Adverse reactions have been observed by some aquarists at these concentrations in some aquatic mosses, liverworts, and vascular plants. 1
External links
- National Pollutant Inventory - Glutaraldehyde Fact Sheet
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Glutaraldehyde
- NIST WebBook
- Hazardous Chemical Information
- Ladd Research MSDS
References
1.^Aquarium Plants: Lighting, CO2, Ferts, Substrate http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumPlants.html
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 27 August 2008, at 02:26.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Glutaraldehyde".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.