Glutaraldehyde is a chemical used as a sterilizing agent, disinfectant, and fixative. It has a wide range of industrial and medical uses but also poses several health risks such as skin and eye irritation. Prolonged exposure may damage organs like the lungs, liver, and kidneys. While an effective sterilizing agent, glutaraldehyde presents greater health risks than formaldehyde and alternatives are preferable when available. It is produced industrially through various chemical reactions and exists in several hydrated structures.

1. Glutaraldehyde
Jason Mason

2. Health Risks
• Potential Acute Health Effects:
• Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye
contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation (lung
irritant, lung sensitizer).
• Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact
(sensitizer, permeator). Liquid or spray mist may
produce tissue damage particularly
• on mucous membranes of eyes, mouth and
respiratory tract. Skin contact may produce burns.
Inhalation of the spray mist may
• produce severe irritation of respiratory tract,
characterized by coughing, choking, or shortness of
breath. Severe over-exposure
• can result in death.
• Potential Chronic Health Effects:
• CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: Classified A4 (Not classifiable for
human or animal.) by ACGIH [Glutaraldehyde]. MUTAGENIC
• EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells.
[Glutaraldehyde]. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or yeast.
[Glutaraldehyde].
• TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available. DEVELOPMENTAL
TOXICITY: Classified Reproductive system/toxin/female,
• Reproductive system/toxin/male [SUSPECTED] [Glutaraldehyde].
The substance may be toxic to blood, the reproductive
• system, liver, mucous membranes, spleen, central nervous system
(CNS), Urinary System. Repeated or prolonged exposure
• to the substance can produce target organs damage. Repeated or
prolonged contact with spray mist may produce chronic
• eye irritation and severe skin irritation. Repeated or prolonged
exposure to spray mist may produce respiratory tract irritation
• leading to frequent attacks of bronchial infection. Repeated exposure
to a highly toxic material may produce general
• deterioration of health by an accumulation in one or many human
organs.

4. History
A successful method of industrial production was patented in the late
1950's by a Diels-Alder type reaction of acrolein and vinylethyl ether forming
2-ethoxy-3, 4-dihydro-2H-pyran which readily hydrolyzes to glutaraldehyde
with a by product of ethano. Interest in glutaraldehyde peaked in the early
1960's when several investigations found it to have outstanding disinfection
and sterilization capabilities, even surpassing formaldehyde, the standard of
the disinfection industry at the time. By 1963, high-level disinfectants, cold-
chemical sterilants and potent sporicides were marketed with glutaraldehyde
as the active ingredient. Interest has been intense throughout the years for
glutaraldehyde, right up to the present, as it still is essentially the gold-
standard for chemical forms of sterilization. All disinfectants and new
alternative disinfectant chemicals efficacy are based upon comparison to
glutaraldehyde efficacy.

5. Production and Structure
Glutaraldehyde is produced industrially by the oxidation of cyclopentene
and by the Diels-Alder reaction of acrolein and methyl vinyl ether
followed by hydrolysis.
Like other dialdehydes (e.g., glyoxal), it does not exist as the dialdehyde
but as the hydrate. These hydrates adopt several structures.
Monomeric glutaraldehyde can polymerize by aldol condensation
reaction yielding alpha, beta-unsaturated poly-glutaraldehyde. This
reaction usually occurs at alkaline pH values.

6. Also used for...
A cold sterilant in the health care
industry
A cross-linking and tanning agent
A biocide in metalworking fluids
and in oil and gas pipelines
An antimicrobial in water-
treatment systems
A slimicide in paper
manufacturing
A preservative in cosmetics
A disinfectant in animal housing
A tissue fixative in histology and
pathology labs
A hardening agent in the
development of X-rays
In embalming solutions
In the preparation of grafts and
bioprostheses
In various clinical applications

7. Glutaraldehyde & Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde each have much to offer to the modern
embalming industry. Formaldehyde excels in certain embalming scenarios,
such as edema and presents rapid and classical results familiar to
embalmers. Glutaraldehyde excels at sanitizing ability,mildness of reaction,
tissue clearing, cosmetic effect and prolonged, delayed action.
Glutaraldehyde is excellent in cavity fluids where contact times are long and
resistant fixation is essential. In arterial injections of typically normal bodies,
pre-injection of glutaraldehyde followed by formaldehyde injection torapidly
induce hardness of tissue, or injection of glutaraldehyde/low formaldehyde
mixes, to moderate reaction, yield excellent results. It is shocking how little
formaldehyde is needed to yield classical signs of embalming (firmness,
rigidity, skin tightness) in normal body injections (typically 4-6 ounces in the
last part of the injection of a moderate concentration [index 20] fluid).
Injections that stress and take advantage of the inherent advantages of both
aldehydes yield the consistently best embalming results. The overall goal of
chemical selection mix in the modern embalming room should be a
juxtaposition of lowered total overall exposure risk balanced against
sufficient and effective embalming results.

8. Works Cited
• Pg 2 MSDS for Glutaraldehyde/Water 50%/50%
http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?
msdsId=9924161
• Pg 3 Chemical Labels
http://www.chemicallabels.com/img/lg/L/Glutaraldeh
yde-NFPA-Chemical-Label-LB-1592-063.gif
• Pg 4 Expanding Encyclopedia of Mortuary Practices
No. 649, 2003 by Bendito, James.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.champion-newera.com%2FCHAMP.PDFS
%2Fencyclo649.pdf
• Pg 5 Wikipedia
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutaraldehyde
• Pg 6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/glutaraldehyde/
• Pg 7 Expanding Encyclopedia of Mortuary Practices
No. 649, 2003 by Bendito, James.
• https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.champion-newera.com%2FCHAMP.PDFS
%2Fencyclo649.pdf
• Pg 8 Macherey-Nagel
• http://www.mn-net.com/tabid/11208/default.aspx