Glutaraldehyde (Glutaral, Pentanedial)

Glutaraldehyde (pentanedial, CAS 111-30-8) is a five-carbon dialdehyde supplied as an aqueous solution. As a non-oxidizing biocide it gives broad-spectrum, fast microbial kill across a wide pH band; as a protein and polyhydroxy cross-linker it locks biological and polymeric structures together. Those two reactivities — biocidal and cross-linking — are why it shows up in oilfield souring control, water treatment, leather tanning, and resin and fixation chemistry. RawSource sources it in bulk for industrial buyers.

Applications by sector

Industrial and oilfield biocide

This is the workhorse application. Glutaraldehyde controls microbial populations in injection water, produced water, fracturing fluids, drilling muds, and cooling systems, where its main target is the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) that drive reservoir souring and microbiologically influenced corrosion. Because it is non-oxidizing, it stays effective where chlorine and other oxidizers are quenched by high organic load, dissolved iron, or sulfide — common conditions downhole and in produced-water handling. It penetrates biofilm rather than just skimming the planktonic count, and works across the acidic-to-mildly-alkaline range typical of these systems. The trade-off is contact time and resistance management: it is slower-acting than a strong oxidizer and effective dosing depends on the system, so operators rotate or pair biocides and confirm kill on their own water. It is applied both as continuous injection and as periodic batch slug treatment.

Water treatment and process systems

The same non-oxidizing chemistry carries into industrial cooling water, process water, and recirculating systems, where it suppresses bacteria, fungi, and biofilm without the corrosivity and rapid decay of oxidizing biocides. Its tolerance of organic and reducing loads makes it a fit for dirtier waters that consume chlorine quickly. Dosing is system-specific and governed by microbial load, holding time, and discharge limits — a point to settle on a case basis, not from a generic ppm figure.

Leather tanning

In tanning, glutaraldehyde cross-links collagen to produce soft, full, perspiration- and wash-resistant leathers, and it is widely used as a chrome-free or chrome-reducing tannage. The same cross-linking that fixes proteins biologically is what stabilizes the hide. It is typically run as a pretannage or retannage step depending on the leather being made.

Chemical intermediate and cross-linker

The dialdehyde structure makes glutaraldehyde a versatile cross-linking and intermediate reagent. It cures and cross-links proteins, gelatin, and polyhydroxy polymers; it is used in resin and adhesive systems, in paper wet-strength and coating chemistry, and as a fixative for biological tissue in histology and electron microscopy, including embalming and preservation work. Buyers choosing it as an intermediate weigh its reactivity against its volatility and shorter pot life relative to less reactive aldehydes.

High-level disinfection (industrial and institutional)

Glutaraldehyde solutions are used for high-level disinfection of equipment and surfaces in industrial and institutional settings, valued because they are non-oxidizing and so less corrosive to many metals, rubbers, and optics than oxidizing disinfectants. Use in any regulated or device-cleaning context is governed by the applicable product registration, label, and jurisdictional rules, which the buyer is responsible for confirming.

Forms and grades

Glutaraldehyde is handled as an aqueous solution rather than a neat liquid; the common commercial forms are dilute and concentrated aqueous solutions, with roughly 25% and 50% strengths being typical industrial points. Concentration drives both performance dosing and dangerous-goods classification, so the exact strength is specified per order. The Certificate of Analysis (CoA) and SDS confirm assay, concentration, and handling data for the supplied lot — specify your target concentration on the RFQ.

Safety and handling

Glutaraldehyde is hazardous and demands serious handling discipline. It is a recognized respiratory sensitizer and skin sensitizer: repeated or even low-level exposure can trigger occupational asthma, allergic dermatitis, and contact reactions, and once a worker is sensitized, very small exposures can provoke a response. It is also toxic and corrosively irritating to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, and the vapor is hazardous at low airborne concentrations — there is no OSHA permissible exposure limit, but ACGIH and NIOSH set low ceiling and recommended exposure limits, underscoring how little airborne glutaraldehyde is tolerable. Safe use requires adequate ventilation or local exhaust, splash and respiratory PPE appropriate to the task, closed handling where possible, and trained personnel. None of this is a substitute for the Safety Data Sheet: the current SDS for the grade you receive governs classification, exposure controls, first aid, storage, and disposal, and must be reviewed before handling. RawSource provides the SDS with every order.

Bulk sourcing

RawSource sources glutaraldehyde (aqueous grades) in bulk for oilfield, water-treatment, leather, and industrial buyers, supplied with CoA and SDS and quoted per request against your concentration, volume, and dangerous-goods packaging. Submit a bulk RFQ with your target concentration and quantity for a current quote.