What is a benzalkonium chloride used for?

What is a benzalkonium chloride used for?

Benzalkonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium antiseptic and disinfectant with actions and uses similar to those of other cationic surfactants. It is also used as an antimicrobial preservative for pharmaceutical products.

Can benzalkonium chloride be used on humans?

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) exerts toxic effects on microorganisms. This property has been utilized in the cosmetic industry and medicine, where it is used as effective germicide and preservative agents. Various BAC-containing preparations used by people may induce a number of adverse effects on the human body.

Are benzethonium chloride and benzalkonium chloride the same?

The key difference between benzethonium chloride and benzalkonium chloride is that benzethonium chloride is produced as a white solid, whereas benzalkonium chloride in its pure form is colorless, and under the presence of impurities it appears in a pale yellow color.

Is benzalkonium chloride cancerous?

Together, our results suggest that these widely used antimicrobial compounds could exaggerate disease development of inflammatory bowel disease and associated colon cancer.

How do you dispose of benzalkonium chloride?

Do not dispose any chemical to the local POTW beforehand, even on the basis of a verbaledor e‐mail notification of permissibility. Prepare and maintain a binder with such letters for reference. 4) If it is impermissible to dispose of a chemical to the POTW, there are two disposal options: a.

How dangerous is benzethonium 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.

What does benzalkonium chloride kill?

Benzalkonium chloride formulations for consumer use are dilute solutions. Concentrated solutions are toxic to humans, causing corrosion/irritation to the skin and mucosa, and death if taken internally in sufficient volumes.

Can I take benzalkonium chloride and drink alcohol?

Wikipedia by itself hardly stands as a legitimate source, but it’s easy enough to look at the references and go back to the original material. Basically though, bacteria can become resistant to benzalkonium chloride but not to alcohol. Some studies suggest that the toxicity and side effects of benzalkonium chloride make it a poor choice.