Glutaraldehyde is colorless or yellowish transparent oily, liquid with a pungent odor, and can be dissolved in organic dissolvent such as water, ether and ethanol.

In water solution, Glutaraldehyde doesn't exist much in free state.Instead it makes appearance as hydrates with different forms and most of them are hydrates with annular structure.

Glutaraldehyde is reactive in property, and liable to polymerize and oxidize, which will react with compounds containing active oxygen and nitrogen. The reaction of the product with protein is mainly carried out between the carbonyl group of the former and the amino group of the latter. Among the known aldehydes, Glutaraldehyde is one of the best cross-linking agents for proteins.

Glutaraldehyde has a small influence on the activity of enzyme, and most of enzymes can be fixed under controlled condition, to cross-link without losing their activity. Contributing to its outstanding characteristics,the product has drawn special concern from people and been put at broad application.