Glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde is an important dialdehyde that is used as a disinfectant and as a sterilant. It is superior to formaldehyde and it has a broad spectrum of activity against bacteria and their spores, fungi, and viruses. It is the preferred compound used in commercially available cold sterilants.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a monoaldehyde existing as a freely soluble gas. Formaldehyde solution is an aqueous solution containing approximately 34-38% formaldehyde (wt/wt) with methanol. It is bactericidal, sporicidal, and virucidal. Although used in some situations as a disinfectant, its primary use at UAF is as a tissue fixative (as 10% buffered formalin).