# Wondering why people use Glutaraldehyde



## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

I'm just curious to know why people use it. From a health standpoint. I've read the MSDS, but after talking to some coworkers, have gained alot more knowledge of the health risks associated with coming into any contact with it. Sorry to bring up "old" debates, but I do wonder if people are aware of how they're suppose to safely handle it....


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

I have never used it, likely never will

Its a sterilizer ... nuff said


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## mysticalnet (Apr 22, 2010)

I work in a lab, there are tons of stuff more dangerous than glutaraldehyde; glutaraldehyde is the poor man's carbon source instead of CO2, it is also a fungicide, bactericide, algaecide, etc....


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

What are the risks of mishandling the product?

I don't use metricide (glutaraldehyde) myself, but would be good information to have around.


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## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

mysticalnet said:


> I work in a lab, there are tons of stuff more dangerous than glutaraldehyde; glutaraldehyde is the poor man's carbon source instead of CO2, it is also a fungicide, bactericide, algaecide, etc....


That's great, I'm sure you've got alot of beneficial info to share. I work in Sterile Processing at VGH. We work with crap like this all the time. First and foremost, glutaraldehyde is an HLD used to clean scopes.



EDGE said:


> What are the risks of mishandling the product?
> 
> I don't use metricide (glutaraldehyde) myself, but would be good information to have around.


Well.... first, (and I don't mean to sound pretentious) I doubt many here are handling it properly. In the Metrex catalogue, it states that PPE gear should be worn. Nitrile (specifically) gloves, water repellant gown, eye protection, mask.

Every hospital in BC is switching to the lesser evil HLD (high level disinfectant) because glutaraldehyde based disinfectants are causing severe respiratory issues as well as skin and eye irritations even when PPE gear is worn. If there's a spill, HAZMAT would have to be called in.

Dunno about others, but after I found this out, I'm not going to risk mishandling the product. My health is worth a hell of alot more than attractive looking plants the cheap way.


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## mysticalnet (Apr 22, 2010)

Here are the msds for glutaraldehyde, many people use it as the carbon source for plants, sodium bicarbonate sometimes use to raise pH or increase KH, iron sulfate used in commercial plant fertilizers for the aquarium, methylene blue to treat fungus, ick:

http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/10421.htm

http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/20970.htm

http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/09870.htm

https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/00037.htm

Glutaraldehyde is a little more than the 3, but it's not as bad as u think, at least that is what I think. This is also to show that all chemicals used in the aquarium hobby are dangerous if used not properly. Proper care should be taken when handling all.


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

i spelt metricide under my tank like a month ago i just wiped it up with paper towel . is that bad it was lots too


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## jkam (Apr 21, 2010)

don't forget metricide is *apparently* a much lower concentration of glut.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

2.6% glutaraldehyde to be exact. A whole 1.7 times stronger than Excel. It is not harmless, but toxicity studies on it used in the work place center around prolonged exposure, which is something we should not be having if we handle it responsibly. In the medical field they activate their metricide, pour it in trays to sterilize, giving a much larger surface area(more fumes), and sometimes in very small rooms.

If you have access to medical supplies, some rig their jugs up with an IV draw (think its called that) so they don't need to open the jug, just keep drawing from the iv line. Others pour into smaller bottles for dosing use, do this in a well ventilated area. The smaller bottles have a very tiny surface area. I throw a piece of airline tubing in the bottle and use a syringe and tweezers to draw the metricide out, this way i have no skin contact.

as for you johnny, just one or two times i wouldn't worry about it, much better to make contact with it than to have left it and breathed more in. Don't drink the stuff, don't put your nose to the lid and inhale, don't use it as a hand cleaner, and you should be safe. There are far more dangerous solutions in your cleaners cabinet at home. In regards to PPE, a lot of things nowadays are extremely overkill, take my field for example, on a chemical plant if we were using a power tool, they wanted safety glasses under your goggles AND a face shield. In BC weather you can see nothing due to all the fogging. *edit* If you are mist spraying your tank to treat brush algae, then wear a face mask to be safer, same goes for excel imo


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