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Beauty ingredient · Preservative / antimicrobial

Benzalkonium chloride

CAS
8001-54-5

A quaternary ammonium antimicrobial used in wipes, hand sanitizers, eye drops and household disinfectants.

  • Preservative
  • Quaternary ammonium compound
  • Expert review pending
Moderate concern Level 2 of 4 How concern levels work

Strong evidence of harm at high intake, emerging evidence of harm, or a common allergen or irritant. The concern level sets how many points benzalkonium chloride costs on a product’s receipt.

What the evidence says

  • Antimicrobial resistance (emerging)Emerging evidence

    Researchers describe quaternary ammonium compounds as a class of emerging concern (antimicrobial resistance, skin and respiratory effects). [1]

  • Restricted useRegulatory

    Allowed in EU cosmetics with concentration limits (preservative and hair-product entries). [2]

Evidence tiers say how sure the evidence is, separately from how much it matters. About evidence tiers.

Rules around the world

WhereStatusDetailsDateSource
European Union Restricted Preservative and rinse-off hair uses with concentration limits. — [2]

“Banned” means explicitly prohibited or withdrawn after review; “not permitted” means never authorized there. We use each regulator’s own words.

Names GoodSwap recognizes on labels (11)
  • adbac
  • benzalkonium
  • benzalkonium bromide
  • benzalkonium chloride
  • benzethonium chloride
  • benzalkonium chloride 0 13
  • alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
  • n alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
  • alkyl c12 16 dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
  • alkyl c12 18 dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
  • alkyl c14 50 c12 40 c16 10 dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride

Sources

  1. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A Chemical Class of Emerging Concern

    Environmental Science & Technology · May 23, 2023 · Peer-reviewed

    “Suspected or known adverse health outcomes include dermal and respiratory effects, developmental and reproductive toxicity, disruption of metabolic function such as lipid homeostasis, and impairment of mitochondrial function.”

    doi.org

  2. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products

    European Union (Official Journal) · Nov 30, 2009 · Law

    “cosmetic products shall not contain any of the following: (a) prohibited substances — prohibited substances listed in Annex II”

    eur-lex.europa.eu