Benzalkonium chloride
- Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium
- Benzyldimethylalkylammoniumchlorid
- BAC
- N -alkyl-N -benzyl- N, N- dimethyl ammonium chloride
- BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE (INCI)
- 63449-41-2 (alkyl: C8 - C18)
- 8001-54-5 (alkyl: unspecified)
- 68391-01-5 (alkyl: C12 - C18)
- D08AJ01
- D09AA11
- R02AA16
Yellow solid, deliquescent mass with aromatic odor
Fixed
29-34 ° C
Good in water ( 4000 g · l-1 at 20 ° C)
Risk
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Benzalkonium chloride is a mixture of Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides in which the alkyl is from C8 to C18 chains. It is a well known especially for its disinfectant and preservative effect drug and belongs to the quaternary ammonium compounds.
Use
Benzalkonium chloride is also effective antiviral against bacteria, fungi, yeasts and algae, and to a small extent. It is in many disinfectants and cleaning agents known manufacturer (eg Dettol ) included for surface disinfection. Also for laundry disinfection benzalkonium chloride is employed.
Benzalkonium chloride is also a component of many algicides, such as swimming pools.
The medical use extends to the application to the skin and mucous membrane disinfection (eg, prophylaxis against infection with fungal skin infections, antiseptic treatment of inflammatory symptoms in the mouth and throat ).
Due to its surface-active properties engaged benzalkonium chloride to the cell membrane of the sperm, which sperm are unable to move. It is therefore also used locally for contraception.
Pharmaceutically benzalkonium chloride is used at low concentrations for the preservation of the nose and eye drops. Benzalkonium chloride reduces the stability of the tear film and may cause a dry eye during prolonged use. It attacks the cornea of the eye in to the deeper cell layers into it and can result in significant injury to the cornea. Occasionally, due to benzalkonium chloride allergy. If a preserved with benzalkonium chloride tear replacement fluid is dripped into the eye and some time after eye drops with another drug, this drug may be faster and deeper into the corneal penetration than usual This can lead to unwanted active reinforcements and increased side effects.
Biological Significance
Benzalkonium chloride accumulates in living organisms and in cell membranes may affect the function of the cell membrane. Like other quaternary ammonium compounds in wastewater treatment plants is poorly eliminated and thus arrives in substantial quantities in the surface waters. The main sources of hospitals and laundries were identified.
Safety
Benzalkonium chloride ( BAC), the preservative is most common and longest used in eye drops. It has a relatively high cell toxicity. Even low concentrations lead to cytological and histological changes in eye tissue. The half-life in corneal and conjunctival epithelium is 20 hours. In the deeper conjunctival tissue, it remains with a half-life of 11 hours and can there possibly be enriched after repeated daily administration. The cytotoxic effect is comprehensive in vitro detected by in vivo and clinical studies. The damages include chronic inflammation, fibrosis, cell loss and structural changes in the conjunctiva and cornea. Studies reveal that damage to the lens (cataract ), trabecular meshwork ( glaucoma) and retina ( macular hole ) is given a causality with benzalkonium chloride. The European Medicines Agency and the German Ophthalmological Society are the damaging effects that emanate from this preservative, and sufficiently well known. Further studies are considered useful. A switch to preservative -free eye drops in single-dose containers ( EDO ) or to less cell-damaging preservatives to protect the eye health is demanded by responsible agencies. Although the German Ophthalmological Society warns of benzalkonium chloride, but puts the damage at short-term and rare application, which is in striking contradiction with the above articles. By treatment with benzalkoniumchloridhaltigen eye drops for glaucoma is not recommended because of poor prospects of success at a later often necessary in the course of the disease trabeculectomy.
From one percent concentration contact dermatitis was observed. The evaluation of the relevance allergy generally falls hard; in test groups was hardly intentional awareness to achieve, due to lack of general circulation, there are few empirical data.