Formaldehyde usually kills bacteria by dehydrating the cells. Does formaldehyde kill Bacillus cereus (and perhaps its spores) also? If yes, can you supply an article, research paper that backs up this statement?

No, formaldehyde works by cross-linking primary amino groups with other nitrogen groups. I don't know about its effects on B. cereus.

Under right conditions - I'd expect efficacy. Look it up in Block's book.

What is block's book? Can it be found online? If you have any other books or online sites you know of which can help me with my search please let me know.
Thanks!

Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation (Hardcover)
by Seymour S Block (Editor)


prob find it in your library

Aqueous formaldehyde solutions inhibit germination of B. subtilis spores, but the inhibition is reversible by removal of the agent, and thus these solutions are sporostatic. However, incubating B. subtilis spores in 1% formaldehyde solution to 60C for four hours was sporocidal (see here).

Gaseous formaldehyde is used to sterilize and formaldehyde in solution can be inhibitory as well as sporocidal - it depends on the application, concentration, temp etc.. Even where inhibitory - it's to the population and that diminshes quantiatively in survival at the ijnividual spore level during exposure.

And of couirse formaldehye is only a gas - in aq. solution it's primarily methylene glycol.