Chemicals
Glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde is a toxic chemical that is used as a cold sterilant to disinfect and clean heat-sensitive medical, surgical, and dental equipment.
Exposure to glutaraldehyde has both short and long term health effects.
Glutaraldehyde is also used as a tissue fixative in histology and pathology labs and as a hardening agent in the development of x-rays.
Glutaraldehyde is used in a limited number of applications, rather than just as a general disinfectant. Specific applications include:
- use as a disinfecting agent for respiratory therapy equipment
- bronchoscopes
- physical therapy whirlpool tubs
- surgical instruments
- anesthesia equipment parts
- x-ray tabletops
- dialyzers
- dialysis treatment equipment
Health Effects
- Short term (acute) effects: Contact with glutaraldehyde liquid and vapor can severely irritate the eyes, and at higher concentrations burns the skin. Breathing glutaraldehyde can irritate the nose, throat, and respiratory tract, causing coughing and wheezing, nausea, headaches, drowsiness, nosebleeds, and dizziness.
- Long term (chronic) effects: Glutaraldehyde is a sensitizer. This means some workers will become very sensitive to glutaraldehyde and have strong reactions if they are exposed to even small amounts. Workers may get sudden asthma attacks with difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest. Prolonged exposure can cause a skin allergy and chronic eczema, and afterwards, exposure to small amounts produces severe itching and skin rashes. Glutaraldehyde has been implicated as a possible cause of occupational asthma.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-7. _____ is the main use of Glutaraldehyde.
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