Glutaraldehyde degradation in hospital wastewater by photoozonation.

In this paper, we assessed aqueous solutions of glutaraldehyde (GA), a chemical used for the disinfection of hospital materials, using advanced oxidative processes, O3, and UV, and the combination of the latter two. Assays with different ozone concentrations at distinct pH levels were conducted to determine the best treatment process. GA concentrations before and after each treatment were measured by spectrophotometry. The best treatment was that which combined O3 and UV, yielding a degradation of 72.0-75.0% in relation to the initial concentration with pH between 4 and 9. Kinetics demonstrated that GA degradation is not dependent on pH, as there was a first-order reaction with a rate constant of k = 0.0180 min(-1) for initial pH 9 and of k = 0.0179 min(-1) for initial pH 7, that is, the values are virtually the same. Secondary wastewater samples were also analysed using the septic tank/filter system of a regional hospital in Vale do Rio Pardo, state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. In this case, the characteristics of the wastewater were described and, after treatment, a GA degradation rate of 23.3% was noted, with reductions of 75% for chemical oxygen demand, 81% for biochemical oxygen demand, 68% for turbidity, 70% for surfactants and total disinfection in terms of thermotolerant coliforms.

Separation of glutaraldehyde and some of its aldol condensation products by hydroxyl-aldehyde group affinity chromatography.

Glutaraldehyde exists in aqueous solution in equilibrium with monomers and polymers of cyclic and open-chain hemialdals and hydrates. At alkaline pH oligomeric and polymeric alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde derivatives are formed from primarily produced aldol condensation products. This communication reports a method for separation of such aldol condensates by means of a new high performance liquid chromatography technique based on the affinity of aldehyde groups for hydroxyl groups of a hydroxylated polyether matrix (Bio-Gel SEC-10). Five peaks corresponding to different aldol condensates of glutaraldehyde were obtained from the affinity column. They have been distinguished by 1H-NMR and UV spectroscopy. Kinetic measurements yielded formation rates for the different aldol condensates.

Study on heart mitochondrial creatine kinase using a cross-linking bifunctional reagent. I. The binding involves the octameric form of the enzyme.

Bovine heart mitochondria suspended in 0.25 M sucrose were treated with 0.3% glutaraldehyde (GA). The membranes were disintegrated by ultrasonication in 0.25 M KCl and precipitated by centrifugation. The supernatant was assayed for creatine kinase (CKm) oligomeric forms by ultracentrifugation in a sucrose density gradient. A kinetic analysis of membrane-bound CKm was performed before and after ultrasonication. The data obtained suggest that the CKm octamer is the only form of CKm bound to mitochondrial membranes during GA treatment. This finding was confirmed by an analysis of extracts from untreated mitochondria using high resolution gel filtration.

[Method of purifying glutaraldehyde for microscopic research on biological objects]. / Metod ochistki glutarovogo al'degida dlia mikroskopicheskikh issledovanii biologicheskikh ob''ektov.

A simple and reliable method of purification and determination of glutaraldehyde concentration for histochemical fixation is proposed. Purification of glutaraldehyde is provided by vacuum distillation with a rotational-filmy evaporator, and its concentration is determined using refractometer.

A rapid method for obtaining monomeric glutaraldehyde.

A new method for the distillation of glutaraldehyde to obtain the monomeric form is presented. The monomer is obtained after only one distillation and it has a purification index (Pi) smaller than 0.20.