Is it Time to Leave Quats in the Past?

Unlike life sciences professionals, many of whom may have training in chemistry, the average disinfectant consumer likely doesn’t think too much about what is inside their bottle. While there are several active ingredients that may be used in disinfectant formulations, by far the most common in household products is quaternary ammonium compounds (quats). In addition to household disinfectants, quats are also used in many professional-grade products, including those common in vivaria and other life sciences environments.

Prior to the introduction of quats as a common disinfectant active, the industry relied on harsh chemistries such as strong acids or bases, chlorine-based solutions or phenolic compounds. While these delivered a high level of antimicrobial efficacy, this came at the expense of occupational safety, and were often highly irritating to users and animals. Quats emerged as a less acutely toxic alternative, though in the decades since becoming popular, the evidence has been mounting around the less obvious, chronic health hazards associated with these compounds.

Researchers at Virginia Tech University noticed that embryos from healthy mice in their control group unexpectedly developed neural tube defects, a finding that was liked to the switch to a quat-based disinfectant within the facility. Since then, the team has published research linking the use of quats to a number of fertility issues in mice¹. The hazards associated with quats extend beyond the reproductive system: additional studies have demonstrated that exposure to quats also causes disruption to the immune system and brain development in animal models². User safety is also a concern, with documented reports of contact dermatitis and occupational asthma associated with long-term exposure to quats². A recent review article (Tetro et al.) summarizes these health hazards in detail².

In addition to the known health hazards, several other factors make quats less than ideal for cleaning and disinfecting within life sciences facilities. For instance, quats generally have a narrower spectrum of efficacy compared to other actives, and therefore require a long contact time to kill pathogens – in most cases, a 10-minute contact time is required, which may not be realistic in fast-paced laboratory environments. Furthermore, as cationic surfactants, quats lack the cleaning capabilities of anionic and non-ionic surfactants: rather than dislodging residual soils and suspending them in the wash solution, quats have a tendency to stick to surfaces and cleaning materials, interfering with disinfection efficacy. Unlike other actives such as hydrogen peroxide and citric acid, which readily degrade following use, quats persist on surfaces, leading to potential concerns surrounding the development of antimicrobial resistance, which has been shown experimentally to occur.

While quats may have offered a superior alternative to other disinfectant actives when they first emerged, disinfectant technologies have come a long way since. More recent developments in disinfection, such as Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide^® (AHP^®), offer an unparalleled balance between efficacy and safety in the fight against infection. AHP kills a broad spectrum of pathogens in rapid and realistic contact times, without the health hazards associated with other disinfectants, including quats. With a powerful blend of anionic and non-ionic surfactants, AHP cleans and disinfects in one step, eliminating the need for multiple products. In making the switch to AHP, life sciences professionals can feel confident that their animals, staff and research are safeguarded from infection.

1. Melin VE, Potineni H, Hunt P, Griswold J, Siems B, Were SR, Hrubec TC. (2014). Exposure to common quaternary ammonium disinfectants decreases fertility in mice. Reproductive Toxicology. 50: 163-170.
2. Tetro JA, Alderson FA, Sattar SA. (2024). Is it time to re-evaluate exposure risks to quaternary ammonium compounds as disinfectants? Current Research in Microbial Sciences. 7: 100258.