Benzalkonium chloride SDS/MSDS (Safety Data Sheet)

3.1 Substances
Product name: Benzalkonium chloride
CAS Number: 63449-41-2, 8001-54-5
PubChem CID: 3014024
Molecular formula: C22H40ClN
Molecular weight: 354.0 g/mol
IUPAC name: benzyl-dimethyl-tridecylazanium chloride

3.2 Mixtures
Not applicable (pure substance).

4.1 Description of first aid measures
Inhalation: Fresh air, rest. Fresh air, rest. Half-upright position. Refer for medical attention.
Skin contact: Remove contaminated clothes. Rinse skin with plenty of water or shower. Refer for medical attention .
Eye contact: First rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible), then refer for medical attention.
Ingestion: Give one or two glasses of water to drink. Give one or two glasses of water to drink. Refer for medical attention .

4.2 Most important symptoms and effects, both acute and delayed
See Section 11 (Toxicological Information).

4.3 Indication of any immediate medical attention and special treatment needed
Treat symptomatically. Contact a poison control center or physician for severe exposure.

5.1 Extinguishing media
Suitable: Water spray, dry chemical, carbon dioxide (CO2), alcohol-resistant foam.
Unsuitable: None known.

5.2 Specific hazards arising from the substance or mixture
Use water spray, powder, foam, carbon dioxide.
Alcohol foam, carbon dioxide, dry chemical, water fog.
Suitable extinguishing media: Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.
Special protective equipment for fire-fighters: Wear self contained breathing apparatus for fire fighting if necessary.

5.3 Advice for firefighters
Wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and full protective clothing.
Fight fire from upwind. Cool containers with water spray until fire is extinguished.

6.1 Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures
Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (see Section 8).
Avoid breathing dust/vapor. Ensure adequate ventilation.
Evacuate personnel to safe areas. Keep people away from and upwind of spill.
WARNING: Highly toxic — only trained personnel should handle spills.

6.2 Environmental precautions
Prevent product from entering drains, waterways, or soil.
Contain spill with inert absorbent material.

6.3 Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up
Personal protection: chemical protection suit including self-contained breathing apparatus. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment. Sweep spilled substance into containers or absorb liquid in sand or inert absorbent and remove to safe place.
Personal precautions: Use personal protective equipment. Avoid dust formation. Avoid breathing dust. Ensure adequate ventilation. Evacuate personnel to safe areas.
Environmental precautions: Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so. Do not let product enter drains. Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Methods for cleaning up: Pick up and arrange disposal without creating dust. Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.
SRP: Criteria for land treatment or burial (sanitary landfill) disposal practices are subject to significant revision. Prior to implementing land disposal of waste residue (including waste sludge), consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal practices.
Observe all federal, state, and local environmental regulations. Contact a licensed professional waste disposal service to dispose of this material. Dissolve or mix the material with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber.
SRP: The scientific literature for the use of contact lenses by industrial workers is inconsistent. The benefits or detrimental effects of wearing contact lenses depend not only upon the substance, but also on factors including the form of the substance, characteristics and duration of the exposure, the uses of other eye protection equipment, and the hygiene of the lenses. However, there may be individual substances whose irritating or corrosive properties are such that the wearing of contact lenses would be harmful to the eye. In those specific cases, contact lenses should not be worn. In any event, the usual eye protection equipment should be worn even when contact lenses are in place.
Handling: Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid formation of dust and aerosols. Provide appropriate exhaust ventilation at places where dust is formed. Normal measures for preventive fire protection.
In case of skin contact: Take off contaminated clothing and shoes immediately. Wash off with soap and plenty of water. Consult a physician.
In case of eye contact: Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and consult a physician.
Hygiene measures: Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice. Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday.

7.1 Precautions for safe handling
Separated from food and feedstuffs. Provision to contain effluent from fire extinguishing. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Store in cool place. Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Hygroscopic. Store under inert gas.

7.2 Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities
Separated from food and feedstuffs. Provision to contain effluent from fire extinguishing. Store in an area without drain or sewer access.
Store in cool place. Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Hygroscopic. Store under inert gas.
Store away from incompatible materials (see Section 10).
[Note: Specific storage temperature not available in public databases. Refer to supplier Certificate of Analysis (COA) for exact storage conditions.]

9.1 Information on basic physical and chemical properties
a) Appearance: White or yellowish-white, amorphous powder or gelatinous pieces; [HSDB]
b) Odor: Amine odor
c) Odor threshold: No data available
d) pH: No data available
e) Melting point/freezing point: 241.02 °C
f) Initial boiling point and boiling range: No data available
g) Flash point: No data available
h) Evaporation rate: No data available
i) Flammability (solid, gas): No data available
j) Upper/lower flammability or explosive limits: No data available
k) Vapor pressure: No data available
l) Vapor density: No data available
m) Relative density: 0.9429 g/cu cm at 25 °C
n) Water solubility: Very soluble in alcohol, acetone; slightly soluble in benzene; almost insoluble in ether
o) Partition coefficient: n-octanol/water: Log P: No data available
p) Auto-ignition temperature: No data available
q) Decomposition temperature: No data available
r) Viscosity: No data available
s) Explosive properties: No data available
t) Oxidizing properties: No data available

9.2 Other information
Complexity: 253

11.1 Information on toxicological effects
Acute toxicity:
No acute toxicity data available.
Skin corrosion/irritation:
Causes severe skin burns and eye damage (H314).
Serious eye damage/eye irritation:
Causes serious eye damage (H318).
Respiratory or skin sensitization:
May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled (H334).
Germ cell mutagenicity:
No data available.
Carcinogenicity:
No data available.
Reproductive toxicity:
Suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child (H361).
Specific target organ toxicity (single exposure):
H371
Specific target organ toxicity (repeated exposure):
No data available.
Aspiration hazard:
May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways (H304).

11.2 Additional information
Exposure routes:
The substance can be absorbed into the body through the skin and by ingestion.
Signs and symptoms of exposure:
Sore throat. Sore throat. Cough. Laboured breathing.
Redness. Skin burns. Pain.
Redness. Pain. Blurred vision. Severe deep burns.
Abdominal pain. Nausea. Vomiting. Burning sensation. Diarrhoea. Shock or collapse.
Data source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) via PubChem.

12.1 Toxicity
LD50; Species: Colinus virginianus (Bobwhite quail) oral 136 mg/kg bw
EC50; Species: Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Green algae, log growth phase, 10000 cells/mL); Conditions: freshwater, static, 24 °C, pH 7.7, hardness 54.06 mg/L CaCO3; Concentration: 160 ug/L for 24 hr; Effect: general growth /Barquat MB 50, 50% AI/
EC50; Species: Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Green algae, log growth phase, 10000 cells/mL); Conditions: freshwater, static, 24 °C, pH 7.7, hardness 54.06 mg/L CaCO3; Concentration: 260 ug/L for 24 hr; Effect: general growth /Dodigen 226, 47.5% AI/
EC50; Species: Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Green algae, log growth phase, 10000 cells/mL); Conditions: freshwater, static, 24 °C, pH 7.7, hardness 54.06 mg/L CaCO3; Concentration: 450 ug/L for 24 hr; Effect: general growth /19% AI, Algicide 904/
For more Ecotoxicity Values (Complete) data for Benzalkonium Chloride Compounds (72 total), please visit the HSDB record page.
/AQUATIC SPECIES/ Toxicity of Dimanin A (benzalkonium chloride) was studied in carp, guppy, and zebrafish at oxygen saturation and at oxygen concentrations of 5-6 mg/L. At oxygen saturation and the highest concentration of Dimanin A tested (500 mg/L) survival times were 15 min for carp, 19 min for guppy, and 14 min for zebrafish.
The substance is very toxic to aquatic organisms. It is strongly advised not to let the chemical enter into the environment.
Benzalkonium chloride's production and use as an algicide, bacteriocide, bacteriostat, fungicide, fungistat, virucide, tu

12.2 Persistence and degradability
No data available.

12.3 Bioaccumulative potential
No data available.

12.4 Mobility in soil
No data available.

12.5 Results of PBT and vPvB assessment
PBT/vPvB assessment not available.

12.6 Other adverse effects
This substance is classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment.

13.1 Waste treatment methods
Waste Treatment Methods: Waste material must be disposed of in accordance with national and local regulations. Leave chemicals in original containers and do not mix with other waste. Handle uncleaned containers in the same manner as the product itself.

14.1 UN number
Not regulated as dangerous goods (research quantities typically exempt).

14.2 UN proper shipping name
Not subject to transport regulations (small quantities for research use).

14.3 Transport hazard class(es)
Class 6.1

14.4 Packing group
Packing group II

14.5 Environmental hazards
Marine pollutant: Yes (classified as environmentally hazardous per GHS).

14.6 Special precautions for user
Transport in original packaging. Ensure containers are tightly sealed.
For bulk or commercial quantities, consult applicable transport regulations (DOT, IATA, IMDG).

14.7 Transport in bulk according to Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 and the IBC Code
Not applicable.

15.1 Safety, health and environmental regulations/legislation specific for the substance or mixture
US EPA / TSCA: Subject to EPA TSCA regulations
EU ECHA / REACH: Not available in public databases.

SARA 302 Components:
No chemicals in this material are subject to the reporting requirements of SARA Title III, Section 302.
SARA 313 Components:
This material does not contain any chemical components with known CAS numbers that exceed the threshold (De Minimis) reporting levels established by SARA Title III, Section 313.
SARA 311/312 Hazards:
Acute (short-term) health hazard
Chronic (long-term) health hazard
Environmental hazard

Massachusetts Right To Know Components:
This material contains components subject to the Massachusetts Right to Know Act. See Section 2 for hazard classification.
Pennsylvania Right To Know Components:
This material contains components subject to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Act. See Section 2 for hazard classification.
New Jersey Right To Know Components:
This material contains components subject to the New Jersey Right to Know Act. See Section 2 for hazard classification.

California Prop. 65 Components:
This product does not contain any chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or any other reproductive harm.

Other regulatory listings:
- The Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals: Chemical: Quaternary ammonium compounds, alkylbenzyldimethyl, chlorides
- California Safe Cosmetics Program (CSCP) Reportable Ingredient: Hazard Traits - Hazard Trait Undefined Authoritative List - CECBP - Priority Chemicals Report - if used as a fragrance or flavor ingredient
- Status Regulation (EC): 2002/2076
- FIFRA Requirements: Residues of the following chemical substances are exempted from the requirement of a tolerance when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice as ingredients in an antimicrobial pesticide formulation, provided that the substance is applied on a semi-permanent or permanent food-contact surfa

15.2 Chemical safety assessment
A chemical safety assessment has not been carried out for this substance.
For research-use-only compounds, no CSA is required under REACH Annex I.

Revision Date: 2026/09/09
Further Information: The information provided is believed to be correct but is not exhaustive and should be used only as a guideline based on current knowledge. It does not represent a guarantee of the properties of the product. Selleck Chemicals Corporation and its Affiliates shall not be held liable for any damage resulting from handling or contact with the product.