Talk:Benzalkonium chloride

Caution

50ml of a 50% solution in a 4000 litre fishpond killed all goldfish within hours. Some waterlilly leaves are turning yellow but I'm not yet sure if this chemical is the cause.

"The substance is very toxic to aquatic organisms." (67.171.24.88 20:41, 31 March 2007 (UTC))

Aquatic lifeforms are highly susceptible to soaps and detergents, hence the understandable fuss about overuse of laundry detergents. Benzalkonium is a cationic surfactant, and carries clear warnings that aquatic organisms can be harmed by this substance. Benzalkoniumm is widely used in the presence of fish in aquaculture, where it is used to prevents parasitic colonisation of fish and shrimp stocks, and to control algal growth. Most benzalkonium products on the market would have a maximumm strength of 10-15%, which are then diluted 1:200 or more for biocidal use. This is really powerful stuff!! So pouring a 50% solution into a pond was akin to using a cluster bomb to kill a mouse. As with all things, the secret's in the DOSAGE!!

50g in about 4000 L of solution? About 12.5 mg/L, which is well above the EPA's LC50 for fish of 280 micrograms per liter. (http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/adbac_red.pdf). --SV Resolution(Talk) 18:53, 30 March 2009 (UTC)

Redirection

"Zephiran" redirects here, but that name does not occur in the article even once. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.101.1.17 (talk) 18:58, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Zephiran is a tradename for benzalkonium chloride. It would be improper to include the name Zephiran in the article unless all competing tradenames are also included. However, it is proper to redirect each tradename to the article, otherwise there would be several redundant articles, one for each tradename. Greensburger 21:10, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

"Cetalkonium chloride" also redirects here without the name occurring in the article. Is Cetalkonium chloride also a trade name for benzalkonium chloride? Should these redirections have the template Template:R from alternative name? I found "Cetalkonium chloride" in the Bonjela article, and I searched for it to find out what it is. Coyets (talk) 15:08, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

Pseudoscience and Safety of Benzalkonium Chloride

Benzalkonium has been in existence for over a century, and is probably the most intensely studied synthetic biocide available to man. Serious scientific studies pre-date the Russian Revolution. Few points briefly:

1. Fertility studies and birth defects need serious controlled multi-generational studies. Am astounded that an animal care technician has managed to get a publication based on an isolated incident (an observation as opposed to a serious controlled study), when there is overwhelming 'scientific' evidence to the contrary. Topically applied benzalkonium does not become systemic at concentrations present in public use disinfectants, even if exposed to the concentrate. To cause the claimed effects, benzalkonium chloride would need to cross the skin barrier and become systemic at concentrations high enough or sustained enougth to cause this sort of damage. Not remotely convincing, even in newborn mice (LOAEL for orally administered benzalkonium is 400 ppm).

2. Allergenicity is all too often confused with skin irritancy effects following frequent exposure. Allergenic capacity is defined by the ability to induce immunological involvement, and recent 6 month studies have shown that this is not inducable with Benzalkonium chloride (Moore, G. 1999) . Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an internationally accepted model for allergenicity testing, animal or otherwise.

3. Mucosal effects, on the other hand, could possibly be caused by the membrane disruptive effects of benzalkonium chloride or other any detergent. Its a matter of balancing pharmaceutical benefits with discomfort, and finding alternatives with an equivalent proven history of safety.

Benzalkonium Chloride enviromental factors

This chemical is used as a preservative for many products. Has this chemical been researched as a possible contributing factor regarding Autism?

Altgeld 968 (talk) 18:50, 2 April 2009 (UTC)

benzalkonium chloride damages cilia

Some nasal sprays (e.g., Rhinocort) were reformulated when it was discovered that benzalkonium chloride damages, and ultimately kills, cilia.

Perhaps benzalkonium chloride is the explanation for the ill-health effects of Zicam. The following from a search of the Zicam site for "benzalkonium chloride" on June 17, 2009 (when the news of Zicam's ill-health effects came out):

"Extreme Congestion Relief Nasal Gel

... are: Alkoxylated diester, Aloe barbadensis gel, Benzalkonium chloride, Benzyl alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium phosphate, ...

http://www.zicam.com/node/247

Intense Sinus Relief Nasal Gel

... are: Alkoxylated diester, Aloe barbadensis gel, Benzalkonium chloride, Benzyl alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium phosphate, ...

http://www.zicam.com/node/248

—Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.167.95.48 (talk) 23:23, 17 June 2009 (UTC)

Benzalkonium chloride damages, and ultimately kills, cilia -- PubMed citations

Benzalkonium chloride damages, and ultimately kills, cilia.

Riechelmann H, Deutschle T, Stuhlmiller A, Gronau S, Bürner H.

Nasal toxicity of benzalkonium chloride.

Am J Rhinol. 2004 Sep-Oct;18(5):291-9.

"CONCLUSION: BAC in concentrations used in nasal preparations is ciliotoxic."

PMID 15586800

"Influence of preservatives and topical steroids on ciliary beat frequency in vitro." PubMed.

"Influence of preservatives and topical steroids on ciliary beat frequency in vitro."

"The preservative benzalkonium chloride effected an irreversible ciliostatic activity already in the concentration of 0.005%." PubMed.

"Benzalkonium chloride affected the nasal mucosa in the form of ciliary loss, epithelial spongiosis, mucosal swelling, hyperemic subepithelium with increased mononuclears in lamina propria. http://medind.nic.in/jae/t06/i1/jaet06i1p60.pdf http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:iRymEiMPd1IJ:medind.nic.in/jae/t06/i1/jaet06i1p60.pdf+Benzalkonium+chloride+cilia&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

Bernstein IL J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000 Jan;105(1 Pt 1):39-44. Comment in: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000 Sep;106(3):595-6.

Is the use of benzalkonium chloride as a preservative for nasal formulations a safety concern? A cautionary note based on compromised mucociliary transport.

...

"CONCLUSION: Both animal and human in vitro data suggest that BKC promotes ciliostasis and reduction in mucociliary transport that may be partially masked by absorption and dilution effects occurring in respiratory mucus. These possible confounding factors may account for several disparate human in vivo results. ..." PMID 14726922

Rizzo JA, Medeiros D, Silva AR, Sarinho E. Benzalkonium chloride and nasal mucociliary clearance: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover, double-blind trial. Am J Rhinol. 2006 May-Jun;20(3):243-7. ...

"CONCLUSION: BKC in the concentration used in nasal preparations impaired mucociliary clearance in healthy individuals after 3 weeks of use. Presently, when preservative-free alternatives are available, BKC could be a risk without benefit." PMID 16871922

Rizzo JA, Medeiros D, Silva AR, Sarinho E. Benzalkonium chloride and nasal mucociliary clearance: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover, double-blind trial. Am J Rhinol. 2006 May-Jun;20(3):243-7. PMID 16871922

Marple B, Roland P, Benninger M. Safety review of benzalkonium chloride used as a preservative in intranasal solutions: an overview of conflicting data and opinions. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004 Jan;130(1):131-41. Review. PMID 14726922

Verret DJ, Marple BF. Effect of topical nasal steroid sprays on nasal mucosa and ciliary function. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2005 Feb;13(1):14-8. Review. PMID 15654209

Graf P. Benzalkonium chloride as a preservative in nasal solutions: re-examining the data. Respir Med. 2001 Sep;95(9):728-33. Review. PMID 11575893

Graf P. Rhinitis medicamentosa: aspects of pathophysiology and treatment.' Allergy. 1997;52(40 Suppl):28-34. Review. PMID 9353558

Graf P. Rhinitis medicamentosa: a review of causes and treatment. Treat Respir Med. 2005;4(1):21-9. Review. PMID 15725047

Chiambaretta F, Pouliquen P, Rigal D. [Allergy and preservatives. Apropos of 3 cases of allergy to benzalkonium chloride] J Fr Ophtalmol. 1997;20(1):8-16. Review. French. PMID 9099278

Armengot M, Basterra J, Garcia-Bartual E. The influence of anesthetics and vasoconstrictors on nasal mucociliary transport. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Belg. 1989;43(2):149-56. Review. PMID 2481378

Illum L. Nasal clearance in health and disease. J Aerosol Med. 2006 Spring;19(1):92-9. Review. PMID 16551220

Ill-health effects of Zicam explained by benzalkonium chloride?

So perhaps benzalkonium chloride is the explanation for the ill-health effects of Zicam. The following from a search of the Zicam site for "benzalkonium chloride" on June 17, 2009 (when the news of Zicam's ill-health effects came out):

"Extreme Congestion Relief Nasal Gel ... are: Alkoxylated diester, Aloe barbadensis gel, Benzalkonium chloride, Benzyl alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium phosphate, ... http://www.zicam.com/node/247

Intense Sinus Relief Nasal Gel ... are: Alkoxylated diester, Aloe barbadensis gel, Benzalkonium chloride, Benzyl alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium phosphate, ... http://www.zicam.com/node/248

Elsewhere on the web, the ingredients are listed as:

Active Ingredients: Zincum Glucoincum* 2x Inactive Ingredients: Benzalkonium chloride, glycerine, hydroxyethlycellulose, purified water, sodium chloride, and sodium hydroxide.

—Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.167.95.48 (talk) 23:45, 17 June 2009 (UTC)

marketing as treatment for finger nail fungal infections

This chemical is being marketed as a lotion to treat Fungal infections of finger nails and toe nails. i would like to know if there are any medical reports about its effectiveness and usage.

Ashok Mogre 4th June 2004

what happens if swallowed? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.165.11.197 (talk) 00:49, 3 May 2010 (UTC)

Many mass-marketed inhaler and nasal spray formulations contain benzalkonium chloride despite substantial evidence that it interferes with function of the cilia of the respiratory epithelium

Many mass-marketed inhaler and nasal spray formulations contain benzalkonium chloride despite substantial evidence that it interferes with function of the cilia of the respiratory epithelium

66.167.61.217 (talk) 21:05, 23 May 2010 (UTC)