About DDAC - How Safe Is It Really?

Image: (Uniqueton, 2020)

            Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) is a chemical commonly used in everyday products. It has the ability to kill germs because it causes the cell to break apart, release its innards, and then die (Anderson et al, 2016). DDAC is often used in products as a preservative to maintain the quality of the product or for cleaning purposes (Anderson et al, 2016). For example, it is found in hand sanitizers, lotions, makeup, pesticides, and cleaning products (Melin et al, n.d.; Anderson et al, 2016). Most things that are labeled as “antibacterial” or “antimicrobial” can contain DDAC (Selikoff Center for Occupational Health [SCOH], n.d.). With the current COVID-19 pandemic, its use as a disinfectant is an important part of fighting the virus by lowering its potential to spread disease. Without a doubt, you could have easily been exposed to DDAC from the hand sanitizer given at the entrances of markets or from the Lysol wipes found in many homes. 

            DDAC is generally considered safe but there are health effects at high concentrations and its toxicity is not well known. If it gets in the eyes or on skin it can cause damage and irritation (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety [CCOHS], n.d.). Some people have even reported severe skin inflammation or pink eye from low concentrations of DDAC in cleaning products (Ohnuma et al, 2010). Breathing it in can cause asthma or make pre-existing asthma worse (SCOH, n.d.). In general, DDAC can cause headaches, a sore throat, and nausea (COOHS, n.d.). It is essential to follow the handling instructions on products with DDAC to avoid unwanted health effects. What is more concerning about DDAC is that it is associated with causing issues in rats in terms of growth, their ability to make babies (Melin et al, 2014), as well as lung inflammation and scarring (Ohnuma et al, 2010). This is very scary since we are not sure if it could affect humans in a similar way but it does indicate that DDAC may be more toxic than believed. However, we can turn to different items for disinfection, such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, thymol or lactic acid (SCOH, n.d.; Women’s Voices for the Earth, n.d.). Knowing this information, would you continue to use DDAC?

References 

Anderson, S. E., Shane, H., Long, C., Lukomska, E., Meade, B. J. & Marshall, N. B. (2016). Evaluation of the irritancy and hypersensitivity potential following topical application of didecyldimethylammonium chloride. Journal of Immunotoxicology, 13(4), pp. 557-566, doi: 10.3109/1547691X.2016.1140854

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety [CCOHS]. (n.d.). Hazardous Substances Data Bank. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from http://ccinfoweb2.ccohs.ca.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/hsdb/records/7611.html 

Uniqueton, A. (Photographer). (2020, March 28). Person wearing blue gloves cleaning. [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/@uniqueton?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels 

Melin, V.E., Potineni, H., Hunt, P., Griswold, J., Siems, B., Werre, S. R. & Hrunec. T. C. (2014). Exposure to common quaternary ammonium disinfectants decreases fertility in mice. Reproductive Toxicology, 50, pp.163-170. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2014.07.071

Ohnuma, A., Yoshida, T., Tajima, H., Fukuyama, T., Hayashi, K., Yamaguchi, S., Ohtsuka, R., Sasaki, J., Fukumori, J., Tomita, M., Kojima, S., Takahashi, N., Takeuchi, Y., Kuwahara, M., 

Takeda, M., Kosaka, T., Nakashima, N. & Harada, T. (2010). Didecyldimethylammonium chloride induces pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in mice. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology, 62(6), pp. 643-651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etp.2009.08.007.

Selikoff Center for Occupational Health [SCOH]. (n.d.). Quaternary Ammonium Compounds in Cleaning Products: Health & Safety Information for Health Professionals. NYU School ofMedicine. Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://med.nyu.edu/pophealth/sites/default/files/pophealth/QACs%20Info%20for%20Physicians_18.pdf 

Women’s Voices for the Earth. (n.d.). Avoiding Quats (ammonium quaternary compounds) and finding safer alternatives. Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://www.womensvoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Avoiding_quats_safer_alternatives.pdf