Mason Delacroix
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is a type of cationic surfactant and an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. It is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, where the alkyl group has various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths. This compound is commonly used in cleaning and sanitizing agents due to its broad-spectrum antibacterial and antimicrobial activities. While it is an effective disinfectant, recent studies have raised concerns about its potential impact on human health, suggesting that it may cause reproductive toxicity and alter neurodevelopment in cells.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Chemical class | Quaternary ammonium compounds |
| Uses | Biocide, cationic surfactant, phase transfer agent, cleaning agent, antimicrobial agent, disinfectant |
| Risk to human health | High |
| Toxicity | Reproductive toxicity in animals, decreased fertility in mice, altered toxicological endpoints in humans |
| Solubility | Soluble in ethanol and acetone |
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What You'll Learn
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium compounds are toxic to humans
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium compounds are quaternary ammonium compounds. Quaternary ammonium compounds are a large class of permanently charged cationic chemicals used in a variety of consumer and industrial products for their antimicrobial properties.
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium compounds are used as cleaning and disinfecting agents. They are added to products to function as cleaning agents or as antimicrobial agents in disinfecting cleaning products. They are also used as biocides, cationic surfactants, and phase transfer agents.
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium compounds have also been found to alter neurodevelopment in cells. A study by Josi M. Herron and others in 2021 found that benzalkonium chloride disinfectants induce apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, and activate the integrated stress response in a 3-D in vitro model of neurodevelopment.
In addition, alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium compounds can cause local irritation and corrosion at high concentrations and are acutely toxic via oral, dermal, and inhalation exposure routes. However, they are poorly absorbed via the oral and dermal routes and are not systemically distributed.
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They are used in cleaning and sanitizing products
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is used in cleaning and sanitizing products. It is a type of cationic surfactant and an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound.
Quaternary ammonium compounds have three main categories of use: as a biocide, a cationic surfactant, and a phase transfer agent. Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is added to products to function as a cleaning agent or as an antimicrobial agent in disinfecting cleaning products. It is also used in sanitizing products due to its antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as some antifungal activity.
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is a common ingredient in disinfectants, such as Lysol and Clorox wipes. It is also used in sanitizers, such as those used in food plants. When used as directed, these products are considered safe and effective. However, some concerns have been raised about the potential health risks associated with exposure to these compounds, including respiratory issues and decreased fertility.
The mechanism of bactericidal/microbicidal action of alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is thought to be due to the disruption of intermolecular interactions, causing dissociation of cellular membrane lipid bilayers. This results in compromised cellular permeability control and the leakage of cellular contents. Enzymes that control respiratory and metabolic cellular activities are particularly susceptible to deactivation by these compounds.
Overall, alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is a useful ingredient in cleaning and sanitizing products due to its antimicrobial and disinfecting properties. However, it is important to follow the instructions on the product label and take the necessary precautions to avoid potential health risks associated with exposure.
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They are cationic surfactants
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is a type of cationic surfactant. It is also known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC) or benzalkonium chloride (BAC). It is an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound.
ADBACs are a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, in which the alkyl group has various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths. They are used in a variety of consumer and industrial products for their antimicrobial properties, such as in cleaning agents, disinfectants, and sanitizing agents.
The antimicrobial activity of ADBACs is due to their ability to irreversibly bind to the phospholipids and proteins of microbial cell membranes, thereby impairing membrane permeability. This results in the disruption or dissociation of cellular membrane lipid bilayers, which compromises cellular permeability controls and induces leakage of cellular contents.
Benzalkonium chloride solutions are fast-acting biocidal agents with a moderately long duration of action. They are also used as a biocide and a phase transfer agent. A non-alcohol sanitizer with benzalkonium chloride as the active ingredient met FDA performance standards, whereas an alcohol-based sanitizer did not.
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They are poorly absorbed by the oral route
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is a type of cationic surfactant and organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. It is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, where the alkyl group has various even-numbered alkyl chain lengths.
Quaternary ammonium compounds are known for their antimicrobial properties and are used in a variety of consumer and industrial products, including cleaning agents and sanitizers. N-alkyl C12-C14 dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride, in particular, is added to products to function as a cleaning agent or as an antimicrobial agent in disinfecting cleaning products.
Due to their chemical structure, quaternary ammonium compounds, including alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride, exhibit poor absorption when administered orally. This is because they are large, permanently charged molecules that have difficulty passing through the intestinal membrane. As a result, relatively large amounts of the compound that are ingested orally are likely to be eliminated in the faeces.
While oral ingestion of these compounds is generally considered safe, with dilute solutions being unlikely to cause serious harm, there are still potential risks associated with exposure to them. Studies have shown that exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds can lead to adverse effects such as contact dermatitis, asthma, and respiratory symptoms. Additionally, these compounds have been associated with decreased fertility in mice and altered toxicological endpoints in humans, including increased inflammation, decreased mitochondrial function, and disruption of cholesterol biosynthesis.
Therefore, while alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is poorly absorbed by the oral route, it is important to exercise caution and avoid excessive exposure to these compounds, as they may pose potential health risks.
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They are associated with neurodevelopment issues
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is a type of cationic surfactant known as benzalkonium chloride (BAC). It is a quaternary ammonium compound (quat) with antimicrobial properties that is used in a variety of cleaning and sanitizing agents.
Quats are a large class of permanently charged cationic chemicals. They are used in many consumer and industrial products due to their antimicrobial properties. Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) and alkyl (C12, C14, C16) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC) are frequently used as active ingredients in antimicrobials.
N-alkyl C12-C14 dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is added to products to function as a cleaning agent or as an antimicrobial agent in disinfecting cleaning products. It has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as some antifungal activity and effectiveness against certain viruses.
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium compounds have been found to alter neurodevelopment in cells. A 2021 study by Josi M. Herron et al. found that benzalkonium chloride disinfectants induce apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, and activate the integrated stress response in a 3-D in vitro model of neurodevelopment.
In addition to their impact on neurodevelopment, quaternary ammonium compounds have been associated with other health risks in humans. They have been detected in human blood and linked to increased inflammation, decreased mitochondrial function, and disruption of cholesterol biosynthesis. EPA's review of industry-submitted toxicity data and the potential for human exposure concludes that this substance poses a high risk to human health. A 2015 peer-reviewed publication also reports that some quaternary ammonium compounds cause reproductive toxicity in animals, leading to subfertility in male and female mice.
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Frequently asked questions
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride is a type of cationic surfactant. It is an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. It is commonly used as a cleaning and disinfecting agent due to its antimicrobial properties.
Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride does not contain alcohol. However, it is readily soluble in ethanol and acetone.
No, according to the EPA's review, alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride poses a high risk to human health. Studies have shown that exposure to this substance can cause increased inflammation, decreased mitochondrial function, disruption of cholesterol, and decreased fertility.
