BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE

CAS NO: 8001-54-5

EC NO: 264-151-6

SYNONYMS

BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium; bkc50; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; BENZALKONYUM KLORIT; ALKYL DIMETHYL BENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION; BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE; BENZALKONIUM CHLORİDE; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkonyum klorit: benzalkonyum; benzalkonyum klorit; benzalkonium klorit; QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, BENZYLCOCO ALKYLDIMETHYL, CHLORIDES; ALKYL DIMETHYLBENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; ALKYLDIMETHYL (PHENYLMETHYL) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM CHLORIDES; AMMONYX; ARQUAD DMMCB-75; BARQUAT MB-50; BAYCLEAN; BENIROL; BENZALKONIUM A; BAC 50; BAC50 ; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonyum klorür; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkoniumchloride; benzalkonyumklorür; benzalkonyumkloridAlkyldimethylbenzylammonium Chloride; Benzalkonium; Benzalkonium Chloride; Benzalkonium Compounds Chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium; Chloride; BenzalkoniumCompounds; Benzalkonium; Quaternary ammonium compounds; benzyl-C8-18-alkyldimethyl chlorides; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) quaternary ammonium chloride; Ammonium alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) chloride ; Ammonium alkyldimethylbenzyl chloride ; C6H5CH2N(CH3)2RCl, R=C8H17 C18H37; BENZALKONYUM KLORÜR; benzalkonyum klorür; bac; BAC; BAC 50; BAC 80; ORİDE; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium chloride; bkc 50; bac 50; BAC 50; BKC 50; benzalkonium; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkonyum klorit: benzalkonyum; benzalkonyum klorit; benzalkonium klorit; QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, BENZYLCOCO ALKYLDIMETHYL, CHLORIDES; ALKYL DIMETHYLBENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; ALKYLDIMETHYL (PHENYLMETHYL) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM CHLORIDES; AMMONYX; ARQUAD DMMCB-75; BARQUAT MB-50; BAYCLEAN; BENIROL; BENZALKONIUM A; BAC 50; BAC50 ; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonyum klorür; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkoniumchloride; benzalkonyumklorür; benzalkonyumkloridAlkyldimethylbenzylammonium Chloride; Benzalkonium; Benzalkonium Chloride; Benzalkonium Compounds Chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium; Chloride; BenzalkoniumCompounds; Benzalkonium; Quaternary ammonium compounds; benzyl-C8-18-alkyldimethyl chlorides; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) quaternary ammonium chloride; Ammonium alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) chloride ; Ammonium alkyldimethylbenzyl chloride ; C6H5CH2N(CH3)2RCl, R=C8H17 C18H37; BENZALKONYUM KLORÜR; benzalkonyum klorür; bac; BAC; BAC 50; BAC 80; bac 50; bac 80; BKC; BKC 50; bkc 50; bkc 80; BKC 80ADBAC; bac 50; bac 80; BKC; BKC 50; bkc 50; bkc 80; BKC 80ADBAC; Alkyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride; Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl)quaternary ammonium chlorides; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Benzalconio cloruro; Benzalkonii chloridum; Benzalkonium chlorides; Chlorure de benzalkonium; Cloruro de benzalconio, ALKYL DIMETHYL BENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION; QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, BENZYLCOCO ALKYLDIMETHYL, CHLORIDES; ALKYL DIMETHYLBENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; ALKYLDIMETHYL (PHENYLMETHYL) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM CHLORIDES; AMMONYX; ARQUAD DMMCB-75; BARQUAT MB-50; BAYCLEAN; BENIROL; BENZALKONIUM A; BAC 50; BAC50 ; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonyum klorür; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkoniumchloride; benzalkonyumklorür; benzalkonyumkloridAlkyldimethylbenzylammonium Chloride; Benzalkonium; Benzalkonium Chloride; Benzalkonium Compounds Chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium; Chloride; BenzalkoniumCompounds; Benzalkonium; Quaternary ammonium compounds; benzyl-C8-18-alkyldimethyl chlorides; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) quaternary ammonium chloride; Ammonium alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) chloride ; Ammonium alkyldimethylbenzyl chloride ; C6H5CH2N(CH3)2RCl, R=C8H17 C18H37; BENZALKONYUM KLORÜR; benzalkonyum klorür; bac; BAC; BAC 50; BAC 80; bac 50; bac 80; BKC; BKC 50; bkc 50; bkc 80; BKC 80ADBAC; Alkyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride; Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl)quaternary ammonium chlorides; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride;BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium; bkc50; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; BENZALKONYUM KLORIT; ALKYL DIMETHYL BENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION; BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE; BENZALKONIUM CHLORİDE; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkonyum klorit: benzalkonyum; benzalkonyum klorit; benzalkonium klorit; QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, BENZYLCOCO ALKYLDIMETHYL, CHLORIDES; ALKYL DIMETHYLBENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; ALKYLDIMETHYL (PHENYLMETHYL) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM CHLORIDES; AMMONYX; ARQUAD DMMCB-75; BARQUAT MB-50; BAYCLEAN; BENIROL; BENZALKONIUM A; BAC 50; BAC50 ; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonyum klorür; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkoniumchloride; benzalkonyumklorür; benzalkonyumkloridAlkyldimethylbenzylammonium Chloride; Benzalkonium; Benzalkonium Chloride; Benzalkonium Compounds Chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium; Chloride; BenzalkoniumCompounds; Benzalkonium; Quaternary ammonium compounds; benzyl-C8-18-alkyldimethyl chlorides; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) quaternary ammonium chloride; Ammonium alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl) chloride ; Ammonium alkyldimethylbenzyl chloride ; C6H5CH2N(CH3)2RCl, R=C8H17 C18H37; BENZALKONYUM KLORÜR; benzalkonyum klorür; bac; BAC; BAC 50; BAC 80; ORİDE; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonium chloride; bkc 50; bac 50; BAC 50; BKC 50; benzalkonium; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkonyum klorit: benzalkonyum; benzalkonyum klorit; benzalkonium klorit; QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, BENZYLCOCO ALKYLDIMETHYL, CHLORIDES; ALKYL DIMETHYLBENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; ALKYLDIMETHYL (PHENYLMETHYL) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM CHLORIDES; AMMONYX; ARQUAD DMMCB-75; BARQUAT MB-50; BAYCLEAN; BENIROL; BENZALKONIUM A; BAC 50; BAC50 ; benzalkonium chloride; benzalkonyum klorür; benzalkonyum klorid; benzalkoniumchloride; benzalkonyumklorür; benzalkonyumkloridAlkyldimethylbenzylammonium Chloride; Benzalkonium; Benzalkonium Chloride; Benzalkonium Compounds Chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium; Benzalconio cloruro; Benzalkonii chloridum; Benzalkonium chlorides; Chlorure de benzalkonium; Cloruro de benzalconio

Chlorure de benzalkonium

Le chlorure de benzalkonium, aussi connu sous le nom de chlorure d'alkyldiméthylbenzylammonium et ADBAC, est un mélange de chlorures d'alkylbenzyldiméthylammonium avec des chaînes carbonées de longueur variable2. Ce produit est un agent de surface cationique de la famille des ammoniums quaternaires.

Propriétés physico-chimiques

Le chlorure de benzalkonium est facilement soluble dans l'éthanol et l'acétone. Bien que la dissolution dans l'eau soit lente, les solutions aqueuses sont plus faciles d'emploi et sont plus largement utilisées. Les solutions devraient être neutres à légèrement basiques avec une couleur allant de l'incolore au jaune pâle. Les solutions moussent fortement lorsqu'elles sont secouées1, ont un goût amer et ont une odeur d'amande détectable seulement dans les échantillons concentrés.

Utilisation

Les applications sont très variées, allant de la formulation de désinfectants à l'inhibition de « corrosion microbienne » dans le pétrole ou les huiles minérales3. Il est utilisé dans les produits pharmaceutiques tels que les solutions cutanées antiseptiques ou les lingettes. Il est utilisé comme conservateur dans les cosmétiques tels que les gouttes pour les yeux et le nez. On a reporté des cas de sensibilisations associées à l'utilisation continue et prolongée du produit. Il faut mettre des gants avant toute utilisation.

Avantages / inconvénients

En tant qu'antiseptique, il a l'avantage de ne pas brûler les plaies à l'application, contrairement aux antiseptiques à base d'éthanol ou d'eau oxygénée.

• Il peut négativement interagir avec des matériaux notamment utilisés en milieu médical (silicones) ou avec l'hydrogel de certaines lentilles de contact4.

Disponibilité

Les concentrés standard sont fabriqués sous forme de solutions à 50 et 80 %. Les solutions à 50 % sont purement aqueuses, tandis que les solutions plus concentrées requièrent l'incorporation d'additifs tels que des alcools, du polyéthylène glycol, etc. pour éviter l'augmentation de la viscosité ou la formation de gels à basse température.

Activité biologique

L'activité biocide la plus importante est associée aux dérivés alkylés en C12 à C14. On pense que le mécanisme bactéricide est dû à la disruption des interactions intermoléculaires. Ceci peut causer la dissociation des lipides dans la membrane cellulaire, ce qui compromet la perméabilité de la cellule et induit une fuite de son contenu. D'autres complexes biomoléculaires à l'intérieur de la cellule bactérienne peuvent aussi se dissocier. Les enzymes, qui contrôlent les activités respiratoires et métaboliques de la cellule, sont particulièrement susceptibles d'être désactivées.

Les solutions de chlorure de benzalkonium sont des agents bactéricides à action rapide et de durée modérément longue. Ils sont actifs contre certains et certaines bactéries, virus, fungi et protozoaires. Les spores des bactéries sont considérées comme résistantes. Les bactéries à Gram positif sont généralement plus sensibles que les Gram négatif. L'activité n'est pas grandement influencée par le pH, mais augmente aux températures élevées et avec la durée d'exposition.

De nouvelles formulations utilisant du benzalkonium mélangé à d'autres ammoniums quaternaires peuvent être utilisées pour étendre le spectre biocide et augmenter l'efficacité du désinfectant. Cette technique a été utilisée pour améliorer l'activité virucide.

L'utilisation d'excipients appropriés peut améliorer l'efficacité et les propriétés détergentes, et éviter la désactivation lors de l'utilisation. La formulation requiert beaucoup de soin car les solutions de benzalkonium peuvent être désactivées en présence de contaminants organiques et inorganiques. Les solutions sont incompatibles avec les savons, les nitrates1 et ne doivent pas être mélangées avec des surfactants anioniques. Les sels des eaux dures peuvent aussi réduire l'activité biocide. Comme pour tous les désinfectants, il est recommandé de traiter des surfaces sans saletés visibles.

Bien que des niveaux dangereux ne puissent être atteints dans les conditions d'utilisation normale, le benzalkonium et les autres détergents peuvent être néfastes aux organismes marins. Les désinfectants à base d'ammoniums quaternaires sont actifs à faible concentration, si bien que des doses excessives devraient être évitées.

Le chlorure de benzalkonium a aussi une activité spermicide.

Sécurité

Le chlorure de benzalkonium est extrêmement toxique pour les invertébrés aquatiques (CL50 = 5,9 μg ai/L), hautement toxique pour les poissons (CL50 = 280 μg ai/L), modérément toxique pour les oiseaux (DL50 = 136 mg par kg de poids corporel), et légèrement toxique pour les mammifères (DL50 = 430 mg/kg pc)5. Les solutions de chlorure de benzalkonium de 10 % ou plus sont toxiques pour les humains, causant l'irritation de la peau et des muqueuses. Elles peuvent provoquer la mort après ingestion6.

Le chlorure de benzalkonium est un allergène et quelques études ont jeté le doute sur sa réputation de composé sans danger. Quelques produits ont été reformulés en tenant compte de ces études mais il est toujours utilisé pour laver les yeux, dans les sprays pour laver le nez, les mains, le visage, dans les bains de bouche, les crèmes spermicides et dans d'autres produits de nettoyage, de désinfection... Certains fabricants de gouttes pour les yeux, concernés par les problèmes d'allergies lors de l'usage à long terme du benzalkonium, l'ont remplacé par de l'EDTA. D'autres ont créé des gouttes pour les yeux dans des emballages individuels à usage unique sans conservateur16.

Les solutions des lentilles de contact contiennent typiquement 0,002 % à 0,01 % de chlorure de benzalkonium17. K. C. Swan a trouvé que l'usage répété de chlorure de benzalkonium à des concentrations de 1:5000 (0,02 %) ou supérieures peuvent dénaturer la protéine cornéenne et causer des dommages irréversibles aux yeux. Les désavantages de l'utilisation du chlorure de benzalkonium avec les lentilles de contact sont aussi discutés dans la littérature19,20.

D'après une étude menée en 2009, le chlorure de benzalkonium induit une résistance de la bactérie Pseudomonas aeruginosa à l'antibiotique ciprofloxacine.

Fertilité 

Ce produit, ainsi que le chlorure de didécyldiméthylammonium (DDAC) nuiraient à la reproduction. Des souris femelles de laboratoire exposées à ces produits mettraient plus de temps à être enceintes et elles mettraient bas moins de petits. De plus, 40 % des femelles exposées à l'un ou l'autre de ces produits, seraient mortes durant leur grossesse ou lorsqu'elles mettaient bas.

Benzalkonium chloride

Benzalkonium chloride, also known as BZK, BKC, BAK, BAC, alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and ADBAC, is a type of cationic surfactant. It is an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. It has three main categories of use: as a biocide, a cationic surfactant, and as a phase transfer agent. ADBACs are a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, in which the alkyl group has various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths.

Benzalkonium is quaternary ammonium compound used as a biocide, a cationic surfactant, and as a phase transfer agent . Benzalkonium is more commonly contained in consumer products in its salt form, benzalkonium chloride. This salt is used in a great variety of international pharmaceutical products such as eye, ear, and nasal drops or sprays as an excipient ingredient serving as an antimicrobial preservative. When used as an ingredient in antiseptic and disinfectant products however, it is an active antimicrobial agent

ADBAC / Alkyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride / Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride / Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl)quaternary ammonium chlorides / Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride / Benzalconio cloruro / Benzalkonii chloridum / Benzalkonium chlorides / Chlorure de benzalkonium / Cloruro de benzalconio

This ingredient is commonly used as a surfactant and antibacterial agent, and is commonly found in household cleaning products.

Benzethonium Chloride has replaced Triclosan as the new "antibacterial" agent in cosmetic and commercial soaps and santizers. The toxicity and dangers triclosan brings to the human body when absorbed via the skin have become commonly known.

What is the chemical formula of benzalkonium chloride?

C27H42NO2.Cl or C27H42ClNO2

What is benzalkonium chloride used for?

Benzalkonium Chloride is primarily used as a preservative and antimicrobial agent, and secondarily used as a surfactant. It works by killing microorganisms and inhibiting their future growth, and for this reason frequently appears as an ingredient in antibacterial hand wipes, antiseptic creams and anti-itch ointments. In cosmetics, its antimicrobial properties are employed to protect products from spoiling. It's mostly used in personal care products like rash creme, foot odor powder, facial lotion, cleanser, makeup and sunscreen.

What are the side effects of benzalkonium chloride?

Effects of short-term exposure, Benzethonium chloride is corrosive to the eyes and is irritating to the skin. Long-term effects from repeated exposure may cause dermatitis.

Solubility and physical properties

Depending on purity, benzalkonium chloride ranges from colourless to a pale yellow (impure). Benzalkonium chloride is readily soluble in ethanol and acetone. Dissolution in water is slow. Aqueous solutions should be neutral to slightly alkaline. Solutions foam when shaken. Concentrated solutions have a bitter taste and a faint almond-like odour.

Standard concentrates are manufactured as 50% and 80% w/w solutions, and sold under trade names such as BC50, BC80, BAC50, BAC80, etc. The 50% solution is purely aqueous, while more concentrated solutions require incorporation of rheology modifiers (alcohols, polyethylene glycols, etc.) to prevent increases in viscosity or gel formation under low temperature conditions.

Cationic surfactant

Benzalkonium chloride also possesses surfactant properties, dissolving the lipid phase of the tear film and increasing drug penetration, making it a useful excipient, but at the risk of causing damage to the surface of the eye.[2]

• Laundry detergents and treatments

• Softeners for textiles

Phase transfer agent

Benzalkonium chloride is a mainstay of phase-transfer catalysis, an important technology in the synthesis of organic compounds, including drugs.

Bioactive agents

Especially for its antimicrobial activity, benzalkonium chloride is an active ingredient in many consumer products:

• Pharmaceutical products such as eye, ear and nasal drops or sprays, as a preservative

• Personal care products such as hand sanitizers, wet wipes, shampoos, soaps, deodorants and cosmetics

• Skin antiseptics and wound wash sprays, such as Bactine.[3][4]

• Throat lozenges and mouthwashes, as a biocide

• Spermicidal creams

• Over-the-counter single-application treatments for herpes, cold-sores, and fever blisters, such as RELEEV and Viroxyn

• Burn and ulcer treatment

• Spray disinfectants for hard surface sanitization

• Cleaners for floor and hard surfaces as a disinfectant, such as Lysol and Dettol antibacterial spray and wipes.

• Algaecides for clearing of algae, moss, lichens from paths, roof tiles, swimming pools, masonry, etc.

Benzalkonium chloride is also used in many non-consumer processes and products, including as an active ingredient in surgical disinfection. A comprehensive list of uses includes industrial applications.An advantage of benzalkonium chloride, not shared by ethanol-based antiseptics or hydrogen peroxide antiseptic, is that it does not cause a burning sensation when applied to broken skin. However, prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause dermatitis.

Medicine

Benzalkonium chloride is a frequently used preservative in eye drops; typical concentrations range from 0.004% to 0.01%. Stronger concentrations can be caustic[8] and cause irreversible damage to the corneal endothelium.[9]

Avoiding the use of benzalkonium chloride solutions while contact lenses are in place is discussed in the literature.

Beekeeping

It is used in beekeeping for the treatment of rotten diseases of the brood

Adverse effects

Although historically benzalkonium chloride has been ubiquitous as a preservative in ophthalmic preparations, its ocular toxicity and irritant properties,[13] in conjunction with consumer demand, have led pharmaceutical companies to increase production of preservative-free preparations, or to replace benzalkonium chloride with preservatives which are less harmful.

Many mass-marketed inhaler and nasal spray formulations contain benzalkonium chloride as a preservative, despite substantial evidence that it can adversely affect ciliary motion, mucociliary clearance, nasal mucosal histology, human neutrophil function, and leukocyte response to local inflammation.[14] Although some studies have found no correlation between use of benzalkonium chloride in concentrations at or below 0.1% in nasal sprays and drug-induced rhinitis,[15] others have recommended that benzalkonium chloride in nasal sprays be avoided.[16][17] In the United States, nasal steroid preparations that are free of benzalkonium chloride include budesonide, triamcinolone acetonide, dexamethasone, and Beconase and Vancenase aerosol inhalers.[14]

Benzalkonium chloride is irritant to middle ear tissues at typically used concentrations. Inner ear toxicity has been demonstrated.[18]

Occupational exposure to benzalkonium chloride has been linked to the development of asthma.[19] In 2011, a large clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of hand sanitizers based on different active ingredients in preventing virus transmission amongst schoolchildren was re-designed to exclude sanitizers based on benzalkonium chloride due to safety concerns.[20]

Benzalkonium chloride has been in common use as a pharmaceutical preservative and antimicrobial since the 1940s. While early studies confirmed the corrosive and irritant properties of benzalkonium chloride, investigations into the adverse effects of, and disease states linked to, benzalkonium chloride have only surfaced during the past 30 years.

Benzalkonium chloride is classed as a Category III antiseptic active ingredient by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ingredients are categorised as Category III when "available data are insufficient to classify as safe and effective, and further testing is required". Benzalkonium chloride was deferred from further rulemaking in the 2019 FDA Final Rule on safety and effectiveness of consumer hand sanitizers, "to allow for the ongoing study and submission of additional safety and effectiveness data necessary to make a determination" on whether it met these criteria for use in OTC hand sanitizers, but the agency indicated it did not intend to take action to remove benzalkonium chloride-based hand sanitizers from the market.[21] There is acknowledgement that more data are required on its safety, efficacy and effectiveness, especially with relation to:

• Human pharmacokinetic studies, including information on its metabolites

• Studies on animal absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion

• Data to help define the effect of formulation on dermal absorption

• Carcinogenicity

• Studies on developmental and reproductive toxicology

• Potential hormonal effects

• Assessment of the potential for development of bacterial resistance

• Risks of using it as a contraceptive method

In Russia and China, benzalkonium chloride is used as a contraceptive. Tablets are inserted vaginally, or a gel is applied, resulting in local spermicidal contraception. It's not a failsafe method, and can cause irritatio

N-Alkyl-N-benzyl-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride; Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; ADBAC; BC50 BC80; Quaternary ammonium compounds; quats

The acute toxicity (LD50) of benzalkonium chloride after oral administration was approximately 344 mg/kg while LD50 after dermal administration was 3.56 mL/kg (80% ethanol/water solution)

A number of oral repeated dose toxicity studies in rats (up to two years treatment), mice (up to 78 weeks treatment) and dogs (up to one year treatment) are available for benzalkonium chloride. At high doses (approximately 500 mg/kg/day) benzalkonium chloride was lethal to rats and mice due to local effects in the gastrointestinal tract. Below those high doses repeated-dose oral toxicity studies revealed no organ-specific toxicity. Responses in 90-day and chronic toxicity studies were limited to body weight changes and other general responses. The NOAELs from subchronic and chronic studies across species ranged from approximately 14 mg/kg/day in a chronic dog study to approximately 192 mg/kg/day in a subchronic mouse study [10]. LD50 of benzalkonium chloride in rats was reported as 14 mg/kg when administered intravenously [1, 8, 14]. In humans, an oral dose of 100-400 mg/kg [35] or a parenteral dose of 5-15 mg/kg [33, 39] is thought to be fatal.

Benzalkonium chloride

Benzalkonium chloride, also known as BZK, BKC, BAK, BAC, alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and ADBAC, is a type of cationic surfactant. It is an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. It has three main categories of use: as a biocide, a cationic surfactant, and as a phase transfer agent. ADBACs are a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, in which the alkyl group has various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths.

Benzalkonium is quaternary ammonium compound used as a biocide, a cationic surfactant, and as a phase transfer agent . Benzalkonium is more commonly contained in consumer products in its salt form, benzalkonium chloride. This salt is used in a great variety of international pharmaceutical products such as eye, ear, and nasal drops or sprays as an excipient ingredient serving as an antimicrobial preservative. When used as an ingredient in antiseptic and disinfectant products however, it is an active antimicrobial agent

ADBAC / Alkyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride / Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride / Alkyldimethyl(phenylmethyl)quaternary ammonium chlorides / Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride / Benzalconio cloruro / Benzalkonii chloridum / Benzalkonium chlorides / Chlorure de benzalkonium / Cloruro de benzalconio

This ingredient is commonly used as a surfactant and antibacterial agent, and is commonly found in household cleaning products.

Benzethonium Chloride has replaced Triclosan as the new "antibacterial" agent in cosmetic and commercial soaps and santizers. The toxicity and dangers triclosan brings to the human body when absorbed via the skin have become commonly known.

What is the chemical formula of benzalkonium chloride?

C27H42NO2.Cl or C27H42ClNO2