Breathing in quaternary ammonium compounds, a type of chemical commonly found in disinfectants, may be more harmful than swallowing them, according to a study led by researchers at the University of California, Davis and published on Mar. 30.
The research suggests that airborne exposure to these chemicals from cleaning sprays could play a role in respiratory diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The findings are based on experiments with mice that showed significant lung injury at blood levels of the chemicals similar to those measured in humans.
Quaternary ammonium compounds have been used as disinfectants since the 1940s under trade names like Lysol and Roccal. Although they are not highly volatile and do not produce fumes easily, their use in spray form allows them to enter the lungs. These compounds can also be found in herbicides, eye drop disinfectants, nasal sprays, mouthwash, dryer sheets and fabric softeners.
Earlier research by Cortopassi and colleagues found that about 80% of human participants had detectable concentrations of these chemicals in their blood. Those with higher levels also had lower mitochondrial energy production. Since QACs do not penetrate skin or gut well, researchers proposed that inhalation might explain their presence in human blood.
"We have to question whether we really want to have all of these QAC-based disinfectant sprays in the environment given their proven lung toxicity in mice," said Cortopassi.
The study was conducted by scientists from UC Davis and the University of Washington and was funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
