Benzalkonium Chloride Testing
Oxford Analytical are a GLP approved facility for all your Benzalkonium Chloride testing requirements.
Benzalkonium chlorides (BACs) are chemicals with a lot of applications due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties against bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), also known as alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chlorides, alkyl dimethyl (phenylmethyl) quaternary ammonium chlorides, ammonium alkyl dimethyl (phenylmethyl) chlorides, or ammonium alkyl dimethyl benzyl chlorides, are a class of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). They are usually advertised as a mixture of compounds with different lengths for the alkyl chain, ranging from C8 to C18, with higher biocide activity for C12 and C14 derivatives.
There are three main categories of use of Benzalkonium chloride. Firstly as a biocide, a cationic surfactant, and secondly a phase transfer agent in the chemical industry. Also it is widely used in cosmetics, wet wipes, hand and surface sanitisers.
Approaches to Benzalkonium Chloride testing
The purity of benzalkonium chloride and the structural isomer distribution is determined using an HPLC system with a gradient elution mobile phase and UV detection of the eluting aromatic compounds.
The water content of benzalkonium chloride is determined by Karl Fischer titration. During the Karl Fischer titration, water is consumed by a chemical reaction with iodide and sulfur dioxide in the presence of a base.
How can we help with your testing requirements?
We have established methods using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for various types of BKC (and other QAC) containing products – ranging from wet wipes to mop heads!
Furthermore whether BKC is a single active or part of something more complex we can develop and validate methods to support your registration requirements.
Helping you through the Biocidal Products Regulations to be able to market your product and also providing stability and safety data through various physical and chemical testing.
These tests can all be done in compliance with GLP where required, and if the formal certification is not required you can still rest assured that all of our processes are carried out following the same high-quality standards even when outside of GLP.
We partner with consultants and other laboratories to support additional testing requirements too – so if we can’t do it, we will help you find someone who can through our trusted network.
Please contact us for further discussion of your particular BAC testing requirements.
Our Services
Details of our work with Agrochemicals
Details of our work with Biocides & Disinfectants
Details of our work with Elemental Impurities (Heavy Metal Residues) – ICH guideline Q3d
Details of our work with Storage Stability
Details of our work with 5 Batch Analysis and Impurity Profiling
Details of our work with Method Development & Validation
Details of our work with Physical & Chemical Testing
Details of our work with Routine Quality Check Analysis (QC)