Presented below is a photomicrograph illustrating various textures seen in a thin section of glutaric acid crystallites. This digital image was captured with the DXM 1200 ACT-1 control software in single-image acquisition mode utilizing Hoffman modulation contrast and polarization.

One of the dicarboxylic acids, glutaric acid is a by-product of amino acid metabolism. In humans, a devastating genetic disorder called Glutaric Aciduria interferes with the ability to properly digest protein resulting in the build-up of glutaric acid in the bloodstream. Left undiagnosed and untreated, this condition can damage two nerve clusters in the brain involved in controlling posture and movement, causing serious and permanent disability.

Glutaric acid is being studied for its industrial applications. It has the lowest melting point of all dicarboxylic acids, and this property carries through to its derivatives. It is also highly soluble in water, unlike other dicarboxylic acids. These attributes promise many potential applications for glutaric acid, in detergent and cleaning agents, as a food acidulant, chelating agent, virucidal agent, and plasticizer, to name a few.