Chemical appearance:
Glutaraldehyde is usually a light yellow or clear liquid. It has a strong, pungent smell. It is highly toxic and reacts when in contact with the water. It also has a rather low boiling point of about 187 degrees Celsius. However, it is noncombustible.
Chemical application and strengths:
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- One of the commonest uses of the Glutaraldehyde is its use as a sterilization agent for use in cleaning surgical instruments, among other areas. It reacts with thiol and animes groups to kill any bacteria. The same principle is applied in its use as a disinfectant.
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- In addition to being an anime-reactive compound, it is a homonbifunctionalcrosslinker. It kills cells fast by crosslinking the protein elements within them. For this work, it can be used alone or mixed with formaldehyde to enhance its cell-killing qualities.
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- These qualities make it a great fixative for specimens such as plant material, bacteria, and human cells. Once fixation is complete, the cells in question are then dehydrated in acetone or ethanol. In some procedures, the specimens are then embedded in acrylic resin. It used in electron microscopy and staining of the specimens.
- Biologists also use the chemical for the production of toxoid vaccines, such as the BoostrixTdap vaccine’s component called Pertussis. It effectively inactivates bacterial toxins to prevent infection but at the same time activate the body’s immune systems.
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