Cidex is associated with which chemical class?

• A. Alcohols
• B. Aldehydes
• C. Chlorines
• D. Peroxides

Answer: (B)

Cidex is a brand name for a glutaraldehyde solution used for high‑level disinfection of heat‑sensitive medical instruments. Glutaraldehyde is an aldehyde (a dialdehyde, in fact), and aldehydes kill microbes by cross‑linking proteins and nucleic acids, causing loss of function in the organisms. That makes aldehydes the correct chemical class for Cidex. Other disinfectants come from different classes—alcohols denature proteins, chlorine compounds oxidize, and peroxides act as powerful oxidizers—so they’re not what Cidex represents.