Benzalkonium chloride on your skin: a safety profile
High riskGHS Danger classification. Toxic in contact with skin. Causes severe skin burns.
What is benzalkonium chloride?
The IUPAC name is benzyl-dimethyl-tridecylazanium chloride.
Also known as: benzyl-dimethyl-tridecylazanium chloride, pentonium, Alpagelle, Zephiran.
- IUPAC name
- benzyl-dimethyl-tridecylazanium chloride
- CAS number
- 8001-54-5
- Molecular formula
- C22H40ClN
- Molecular weight
- 354.0 g/mol
- SMILES
- CCCCCCCCCCCCC[N+](C)(C)CC1=CC=CC=C1.[Cl-]
- PubChem CID
- 3014024
Risk for people
High riskGHS Danger classification. Toxic in contact with skin. Causes severe skin burns.
Regulatory consensus
6 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Benzalkonium chloride. The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GHS | — | Skin hazard | |
| GHS | — | Inhalation hazard | |
| EPA | — | Registered antimicrobial pesticide under FIFRA. List N (COVID-19 disinfectants). Reregistration ongoing with enhanced ecological risk assessment | |
| FDA | — | OTC Drug: BAC is FDA monograph ingredient for first aid antiseptics and cold/allergy products. Ban proposed for consumer hand antiseptics (not finalized) | |
| EU BPR | — | Active substance under Biocidal Products Regulation 528/2012, Product Types 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 12 | |
| OSHA | — | No PEL established. NIOSH REL not established. Recommended respiratory protection for chronic occupational exposure |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where you encounter benzalkonium chloride
- Consumer Products — Disinfectants, Hand sanitizers, Eye drops, Nasal sprays, Cleaning products
- Household Cleaning — Disinfectant wipes (Clorox, Lysol), All-purpose disinfectant sprays, Toilet bowl cleaners
- Healthcare — Hospital surface disinfectants, Surgical instrument cold sterilization, Hand antiseptics (non-alcohol based)
- Personal Care — Eye drops (preservative), Nasal sprays (preservative), Contact lens solutions, No-rinse hand sanitizers
- Food Service — Food-contact surface sanitizers, Restaurant/bar sanitizer buckets, Commercial dishwasher rinse
- Industrial — Cooling tower biocide, Oil field biocide, Wood preservative, Algicide for ornamental ponds
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Benzalkonium chloride:
-
Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
Is benzalkonium chloride safe for you?
GHS Danger classification. Toxic in contact with skin. Causes severe skin burns.
What products contain benzalkonium chloride?
Benzalkonium chloride appears in: Disinfectants (Consumer products); Hand sanitizers (Consumer products); Disinfectant wipes (Clorox, Lysol) (Household cleaning); All-purpose disinfectant sprays (Household cleaning); Hospital surface disinfectants (Healthcare).
Why do regulators disagree about benzalkonium chloride?
Benzalkonium chloride has been classified by 6 agencies including GHS, GHS, EPA, FDA, EU BPR, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Benzalkonium chloride in the body app
Look up products containing benzalkonium chloride, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →