BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE
Antimicrobial Agent; Antistatic Agent; Cosmetic Biocide; Deodorant Agent; Surfactant -Suspending Agent; PRESERVATIVE
Also listed as
ALKYL DIMETHYL BENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION; QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, BENZYLCOCO ALKYLDIMETHYL, CHLORIDES; ALKYL DIMETHYLBENZYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE; ALKYLDIMETHYL (PHENYLMETHYL) QUATERNARY AMMONIUM CHLORIDES; AMMONYX; ARQUAD DMMCB-75; BARQUAT MB-50; BAYCLEAN; BENIROL; BENZALKONIUM A
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
 | Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
 | Violations, restrictions & warnings |
 | Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| Contamination concerns |
| Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
|
See products containing BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | |
About BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE: Benzalkonium Chloride is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides that conformsgenerally to the formula: where R represents a mixture of alkyls, including all or some of the group beginning with capryl and extending through higher homologs with lauryl, myristyl and cetyl predominating. In the United States, Benzalkonium Chloride may be used as an active ing redient in OTC drug products. When used as an active drug ingredient, the established name is Benzalkonium Chloride. See "Regulatory and Ingredient Use Information," regarding the labeling names for U.S. OTC Drug Ingredients in Volume 1, Introduction, PartA.
BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE has reported used in the following product types: eye drops/artificial tears (71); facial moisturizer/treatment (24); facial cleanser (20); pain relief (14); moisturizer (14); acne treatment (13); wound treatment (12); baby lotion (11); anti-itch/rash cream (11); sunscreen: moisturizer (10)
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Known human immune system toxicant | National Library of Medicine HazMap | |
| Human skin toxicant - strong evidence | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | |
| Human immune and respiratory toxicant - strong evidence | Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | |
| Human immune and respiratory toxicant - strong evidence | AND products that may be aerosolized (airborne) | Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics |
| Human immune system toxicant - moderate evidence | National Library of Medicine HazMap | |
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Violations, restrictions & warnings
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit) | Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at very low doses | products for use around the eyes, mouth, or lips | RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology 1944 |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at very low doses | products for use around the eyes, mouth, or lips | RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1964 |
| Possible human immune system toxicant | National Library of Medicine HazMap | |
| show more | ||
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Shigaku 1987 | |
| show more | ||
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at low doses | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1990 | |
| show more | ||
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| 832 studies on toxicity in PubMed see search results -> | PubMed |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, NOS | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • Asthmagen sensitizer |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications •Determined safe for use in cosmetics up to a specified concentration limit •Sensitizer - can instigate immune system response that can include itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS, BENZYLCOCO ALKYLDIMETHYL, CHLORIDES | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for as a low human health priority. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Asthma - Reversible bronchoconstriction (narrowing of bronchioles) initiated by the inhalation of irritating or allergenic agents: Yes; •Skin Sensitizer - An agent that can induce an allergic reaction in the skin or lungs: Yes; |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit) |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | •Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit) |
| RTECS®- "Animal Models in Dermatology: Relevance to Human Dermatopharmacology and Dermatotoxicology," Maibach, H 1975 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1988 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1990 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology 1944 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Archives of Ophthalmology (Chicago) 1945 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- British Journal of Dermatology 2003 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1988 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA repair (Bacillus subtilis ) |
| RTECS®- Shigaku 1987 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Sister Chromatid Exchange (hamster emb) |
| RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1980 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1964 | BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (monkey ) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau. |
| RTECS®- "Animal Models in Dermatology: Relevance to Human Dermatopharmacology and Dermatotoxicology," Maibach, H 1975 | RTECS®- "Animal Models in Dermatology: Relevance to Human Dermatopharmacology and Dermatotoxicology," Maibach, H., ed., New York, Churchill Livingston, 1975 -,2,1975 |
| RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977 | RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V.A., and P. Lazar, eds., New York, Academic Press, Inc. 1977 -,127,1977 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1988 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- 1920- 68,192,1988 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1990 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- 1920- 95,711,1990 |
| RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology 1944 | RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology. (Ophthalmic Pub. Co., 435 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1415, Chicago, IL 60611) Series 3: V.1- 27,1118,1944 |
| RTECS®- Archives of Ophthalmology (Chicago) 1945 | RTECS®- Archives of Ophthalmology (Chicago). (AMA, 535 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60610) New series: V.1-44(3), 1929-50; V.64- 34,99,1945 |
| RTECS®- British Journal of Dermatology 2003 | RTECS®- British Journal of Dermatology. (Blackwell Scientific Pub. Ltd., POB 88, Oxford, UK) V.63- 1951- 148,171,2003 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1988 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 193,21,1988 |
| RTECS®- Shigaku 1987 | RTECS®- Shigaku. Ondotology. (Nippon Shika Daigaku Shigakkai, 1-9-20 Fujimi, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 102, Japan) V.38- 74,1365,1987 |
| RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1980 | RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 55,501,1980 |
| RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1964 | RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 6,701,1964 |
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