QC001
Benzalkonium has been in existence for over a century, and is probably the most intensely studied synthetic biocide available to man.
Two points briefly:
1. Fertility studies and birth defects need serious multi-generational studies. Am astounded that an animal care technician has managed to get an isolated incident (an observation as opposed to a study) published, when there is overwhelming 'scientific' evidence to the contrary. 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 as LOAEL for birth defects in orally administered benzalkonium is 400 ppm.
2. Allergenicity is all too often confused with 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 doesnt seem to be an internationally accepted model for allergenicity testing, animal or otherwise.
Two points briefly:
1. Fertility studies and birth defects need serious multi-generational studies. Am astounded that an animal care technician has managed to get an isolated incident (an observation as opposed to a study) published, when there is overwhelming 'scientific' evidence to the contrary. 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 as LOAEL for birth defects in orally administered benzalkonium is 400 ppm.
2. Allergenicity is all too often confused with 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 doesnt seem to be an internationally accepted model for allergenicity testing, animal or otherwise.