<P> Typically, embalming fluid contains a mixture of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, methanol, and other solvents . The formaldehyde content generally ranges from 5 to 37 percent and the methanol content may range from 9 to 56 percent . </P> <P> In the United States alone, about 20 million liters (roughly 5.3 million gallons) of embalming fluid are used every year . </P> <P> Embalming fluid acts to fix (denature) cellular proteins, meaning that they cannot act as a nutrient source for bacteria; embalming fluid also kills the bacteria themselves . Formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde fixes tissue or cells by irreversibly connecting a primary amine group in a protein molecule with a nearby nitrogen in a protein or DNA molecule through a - CH - linkage called a Schiff base . The end result also creates the simulation, via color changes, of the appearance of blood flowing under the skin . </P> <P> Modern embalming is not done with a single fixative . Instead, various chemicals are used to create a mixture, called an arterial solution, which is uniquely generated for the needs of each case . For example, a body needing to be repatriated overseas needs a higher index (percentage of diluted preservative chemical) than one simply for viewing (known in the United States and Canada as a funeral visitation) at a funeral home before cremation or burial . </P>

What does embalming fluid do to the body
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