After glutaraldehyde has been purified to EM grade, it has a high risk of polymerizing if it is not handled properly. Electron Microscopy Sciences takes special precautions to assure a polymer-free, pure glutaraldehyde.
Every lot of our EM grade aqueous glutaraldehyde is assayed prior to shipping assuring you consistent purity and the highest possible quality. If stored properly, our Glutaraldehyde has a very long shelf life.
We package our aqueous glutaraldehyde in 10 ml, single dose ampoules, sealed under dry nitrogen, and kept refrigerated until it is shipped. We offer our glutaraldehyde in a wide range of percentages to simplify mixing procedures and avoiding waste.
EM grade aqueous glutaraldehyde, stored in volumes greater than 100 ml, with repeated defrosting and recapping, will polymerize in time, producing an absorption peak of 235 nm rather than the 280 nm of pure EM grade. The presence of polymerized glutaraldehyde greatly reduces its efficiency as a cross-linking agent, preventing proper fixation. For this reason, we provide 10 ml ampoules and 100 ml bottle quantities for larger applications.