Determination of antibacterial quaternary ammonium compounds in disinfectants by high-performance ion chromatography

An analytical method for the specific determination of the Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) in commercial disinfectants has been developed. QACs are used as antibacterial agents in disinfectants, such as Lysol. QACs with long alkyl chains, such as C12, C14, C16 and a Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride, are popularly employed as antibacterial agents in commercial disinfectants. Promotion of their use as clinical disinfectants on hard surfaces has necessitated a method for the determination of their chemical composition. Although there are existing analytical methods that are used to analyze QACs in disinfectant products, the methods that have been used are limited. Because the concentration of inert ingredients in commercial disinfectants is much higher than the concentration of QACs in commercial disinfectants, such as Lysol, it can be difficult to analyze the concentration of QACs in these disinfectants. In this study, a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method was used for separating and detecting these complex mixtures. A High Performance Ion Chromatography (HPIC) method was developed to separate the C12 benzyl, C14 benzyl, and C16 benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds in disinfectant products.