Glutaraldehyde

Biochemistry Glutaraldehyde is used in biochemistry applications as an amine-reactive homobifunctional crosslinker and fixative. It kills cells quickly by crosslinking their proteins. It 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 stabilize cell and organelle membrane lipids. Another application for treatment of proteins with glutaraldehyde is the inactivation of bacterial toxins to generate toxoid vaccines, e.g., the pertussis (whooping cough) toxoid component in Tdap vaccines. Material science In material science glutaraldehyde application areas range from polymers to metals and biomaterials. Glutaraldehyde is commonly used as fixing agent before characterization of biomaterials for microscopy. Glutaraldehyde is a powerful crosslinking agent for many polymers containing primary amine groups. Glutaraldehdye also can be used for an interlinking agent to improve the adhesion force between two polymeric coatings. Glutaraldehyde is also used to protect against corrosion of undersea pipes. Medical Clinical uses Glutaraldehyde is used as a disinfectant and medication. Usually applied as a solution, it is used to sterilize surgical instruments and other areas. Glutaraldehyde is also used in the treatment of hyperhidrosis under the control of dermatologists in people who have frequent sweating but do not respond to aluminum chloride. Glutaraldehyde solution is an effective agent to treat palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis as an alternative to tannic acid and formaldehyde. Other uses Aquaria Glutaraldehyde diluted with water is often marketed as alternative to carbon dioxide gas injection for aquarium plants, but it lacks any characteristics that promote the growth of aquatic plants, and does not raise the concentration of water it is added to . Aquarists also commonly use it in low concentrations as an algicide. ==Safety==

Side effects include skin irritation. It works by a number of mechanisms. As a strong sterilant, glutaraldehyde is toxic and a strong irritant. There is no strong evidence of carcinogenic activity, However, some occupations that work with this chemical have an increased risk of some cancers. ==Production and reactions==

Production Glutaraldehyde is produced industrially by the catalytic oxidation of cyclopentene by hydrogen peroxide, which can be achieved in the presence of various tungstic acid-based heteropoly acid catalysts. This reaction essentially mimics ozonolysis. Alternatively it can be made by the Diels-Alder reaction of acrolein and vinyl ethers followed by hydrolysis. : Reactions Like other dialdehydes, (e.g., glyoxal) and simple aldehydes (e.g., formaldehyde), glutaraldehyde hydrates in aqueous solution, forming gem-diols. These diols in turn equilibrate with cyclic hemiacetal. : A number of mechanisms have been invoked to explain the biocidal and fixative properties of glutaraldehyde. The aldehyde groups in glutaraldehyde are susceptible to formation of imines by reaction with the amines of lysine and nucleic acids. The derivatives from aldol condensation of pairs of glutaraldehyde also undergo imine formation. == References ==