Benzalkonium Chloride mostly available in 50% and 80% concentration is a commercially available QAC based antiseptic and disinfectant with actions similar to other cationic surfactants.
Uses of Benzalkonium chloride solution vary industry wise with applications ranging from domestic to agricultural, industrial, and clinical.
Domestic applications include use in laundry fabric softeners, cosmetics and toiletries such as shampoos, body washes, cleansers, and eye makeup. Benzalkonium Chloride is also used as a preservative in contact lens solutions as well as in antibacterial soaps, and antiseptics.
One of the most common active ingredients in disinfectants used in residential, industrial, agricultural, and clinical settings. Additional applications include indoor and outdoor surfaces (walls, floors, toilets, etc.), agricultural tools and vehicles, humidifiers, water storage tanks, products for use in residential and commercial pools, decorative ponds and fountains, water lines and systems, pulp and paper products, and wood preservation.
How it Works?
Benzalkonium chloride (BKC) is a fast-acting antimicrobial agent used to eradicate microbes, pathogens, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, and has consistently been chosen mostly as hospital disinfectants.
In the mode of action, the cationic ‘headgroup’ of BKC is progressively adsorbed to the negatively charged phosphate heads of phospholipids in the lipid bilayer and subsequently increases in concentration. The consistent increase of BKC concentration results in reduced membrane fluidity, creating hydrophilic gaps in the membrane.
In addition, the alkyl chain ‘tail’ component of BKC further perturbs the membrane bilayer by permeating the barrier and disrupting its physical and biochemical properties. Protein function is subsequently disturbed, and the combination of these effects results in the solubilization of the bilayer constituents into BKC/phospholipid micelles. BKC also interrupts inter-cellular targets and compromises the conformational behaviour of DNA.
