What is formaldehyde made up of and what makes it preserve dead cells?

Question: What is formaldehyde made up of and what makes it preserve dead cells?
- Keywords:
  cell,
  formaldehyde
Asked by kaboomi to Daren on 27 Jun 2014.
- Daren Fearon answered on 27 Jun 2014:
  
  One carbon atom, one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. Formaldehyde is effective at killing bacterial cells which would help decompose dead human cells.
- anon answered on 27 Jun 2014:
  
  Formaldehyde is also known as methanal – it’s just like methanol, but with two less hydrogen atoms! As Daren says, it’s just a really good antibaterial agent!

Question: What is formaldehyde made up of and what makes it preserve dead cells?