Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection of benzalkonium chloride (BZK) in a forensic autopsy case with survival for 18 days post BZK ingestion.

We report a forensic autopsy case of an elderly man who ingested unknown amount of germicidal disinfectant containing 50% benzalkonium chloride (BZK). He survived for 18 days after BZK ingestion and then died because of pneumonia. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was used to detect three BZK compounds (C12-BZK, C14-BZK and C16-BZK) in the blood. Extraction of BZK was carried out according to a modified QuEChERS method. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an ODS column and detection was performed in selected reaction monitoring mode. The accuracy and the precision were acceptable for quantitative analysis in the concentration range of 10-200 ng/mL for the three BZK compounds. BZK was detected in heart and femoral vein blood samples even 18 days after BZK ingestion. Taking into consideration clinical information during 18 days hospitalization and the autopsy findings, the cause of death was attributed to BZK poisoning. Several toxico-kinetic factors regarding absorption and excretion of BZK in the body were also discussed to elucidate the detection of BZK such a long time after ingestion.

Multidose Preservative Free Eyedrops by Selective Removal of Benzalkonium Chloride from Ocular Formulations.

PURPOSE: About 70% of eye drops contain benzalkonium chloride (BAK) to maintain sterility. BAK is an effective preservative but it can cause irritation and toxicity. We propose to mitigate ocular toxicity without compromising sterility by incorporating a filter into an eye drop bottle to selectively remove BAK during the process of drop instillation. METHODS: The filter is a packed bed of particles made from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA), which is a common ophthalmic material. We showed that pHEMA particle prepared by using ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate as crosslinker can be incorporated into a modified eyedrop bottle tip to selectively remove the preservative as the formulation is squeezed out of the bottle. Hydraulic permeability of the plug is measured to determine the resistance to eye drop squeezing, and % removal of BAK and drugs are determined. RESULTS: The modified tip has a hydraulic permeability of about 2 Darcy, which allows eyedrops formulations to flow through without excessive resistance. The tip is designed such that the patients can create an eyedrop of solution of 1-10 cP viscosity in 4 s with a nominal pressure. During this short contact time, the packed particles removed nearly 100% of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) from a 15 mL, 0.012% BAK solution but have only minimal impact on the concentration of contained active components. CONCLUSION: Our novel design can eliminate the preservative induced toxicity from eye drops thereby impacting hundreds of millions of patients with chronic ophthalmic diseases like glaucoma and dry eyes.

A solid phase extraction-ion chromatography with conductivity detection procedure for determining cationic surfactants in surface water samples.

A new analytical procedure for the simultaneous determination of individual cationic surfactants (alkyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides) in surface water samples has been developed. We describe this methodology for the first time: it involves the application of solid phase extraction (SPE-for sample preparation) coupled with ion chromatography-conductivity detection (IC-CD-for the final determination). Mean recoveries of analytes between 79% and 93%, and overall method quantification limits in the range from 0.0018 to 0.038 µg/mL for surface water and CRM samples were achieved. The methodology was applied to the determination of individual alkyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds in environmental samples (reservoir water) and enables their presence in such types of waters to be confirmed. In addition, it is a simpler, less time-consuming, labour-intensive, avoiding use of toxic chloroform and significantly less expensive methodology than previously described approaches (liquid-liquid extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry).

Combining poly(dimethyldiphenylsiloxane) and nitrile phases for improving the separation and quantitation of benzalkonium chloride homologues: In-tube solid phase microextraction-capillary liquid chromatography-diode array detection-mass spectrometry for analyzing industrial samples.

The retention and separation of four homologues of benzalkonium chloride (alkyl (C12, C14, C16, C18) dimethylbenzylammonium chloride) have been studied in poly(dimethyldiphenylsiloxane) (TRB) and nitrile capillary phases, respectively. Under the optimized conditions (50% acetonitrile in processed samples, 35% of diphenyl content of the TRB, capillary length 43cm and water:methanol 60:40 as replacing solvent), the extraction efficiency was similar for all the homologues with satisfactory reproducibility and independently of the amount and proportion of homologues. Industrial samples with high viscosity or with complex composition and washes waters have been analyzed without previous treatment. The coupling of IT-SPME-CapLC-DAD to MS detection allowed the determination of the minority homologues (C16 and C18) in the industrial samples and washes waters. No matrix effect was found.

Ion-pair in-tube solid-phase microextraction and capillary liquid chromatography using a titania-based column: application to the specific lauralkonium chloride determination in water.

A quick, miniaturized and on-line method has been developed for the determination in water of the predominant homologue of benzalkonium chloride, dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride or lauralkonium chloride (C(12)-BAK). The method is based on the formation of an ion-pair in both in-tube solid-phase microextraction (IT-SPME) and capillary liquid chromatography. The IT-SPME optimization required the study of the length and nature of the stationary phase of capillary and the processed sample volume. Because to the surfactant character of the analyte both, the extracting and replacing solvents, have played a decisive role in the IT-SPME optimized procedure. Conditioning the capillary with the mobile phase which contains the counter ion (acetate), using an organic additive (tetrabutylammonium chloride) added to the sample and a mixture water/methanol as replacing solvent (processed just before the valve is switched to the inject position), allowed to obtain good precision of the retention time and a narrow peak for C(12)-BAK. A reversed-phase capillary based TiO(2) column and a mobile phase containing ammonium acetate at pH 5.0 for controlling the interactions of cationic surfactant with titania surface were proposed. The optimized procedure provided adequate linearity, accuracy and precision at the concentrations interval of 1.5-300 µg L(-1) .The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.5 µg L(-1) using diode array detection (DAD). The applicability of proposed IT-SPME-capillary LC method has been assessed in several water samples.

Fate and effect of benzalkonium chlorides in a continuous-flow biological nitrogen removal system treating poultry processing wastewater.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are used for sanitation in many poultry processing facilities. This work investigated the fate and effect of a mixture of benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), a class of QACs widely used in commercial antimicrobial formulations, on the biological nitrogen removal (BNR) processes. A laboratory-scale BNR system was operated continuously for 670 days, fed with poultry processing wastewater amended with a mixture of BACs. Initially, the nitrogen removal efficiency deteriorated at a BAC feed concentration of 5 mg/L due to the complete inhibition of nitrification. However, after 27 days of operation, the system recovered and achieved 100% ammonia removal. High nitrogen removal efficiency was achieved even after the feed BAC concentration was stepwise increased up to 120 mg/L. Batch nitrification assays performed before, during, and after BAC exposure, showed that rapid microbial acclimation and BAC biodegradation contributed to the recovery of nitrification achieving efficient and stable long-term BNR system operation.

Feasibility studies. The use of NMR spectrometry as a possible substitute of or complement to several analytical tests in pharmacopoeia monographs.

NMR spectrometry has many analytical applications; for instance, the identification of known substances; the structure elucidation of unknown ones; the quantification of APIs, impurities, solvent and water; kinetic studies, stereochemistry determinations, and the analyses of complex mixtures as in metabonomics. NMR spectrometry has the potential to substitute or complement existing analyses that are performed on APIs. In this work, 4 different NMR analyses were done on 2 APIs: fluvastatin sodium and benzalkonium chloride with good results.

Mixtures of quaternary ammonium compounds and anionic organic compounds in the aquatic environment: Elimination and biodegradability in the closed bottle test monitored by LC-MS/MS.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are widely used as disinfectants, detergents and fabric softeners. Anionic detergents are one of the most widely used chemical substances. QACs and anionic surfactants can form ionic pairs. In the present study we investigated the biodegradability of QACs in the presence of different anionic surfactants. The biodegradability of three QACs, namely benzalkonium chloride (BAC), didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDMAC) and ethacridine lactate (EL), when applied as single substances and in combination with anionic surfactants such as benzene sulfonic acid (BSA), LAS, naphthalene sulfonic acid (NSA) and sodium dodecylsulfonate (SDS) was studied applying the closed bottle test (CBT) [OECD 301D, 1992. Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals. Closed bottle test. Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris] at a ratio of 1:1 (mol:mol). Biodegradation was monitored by measuring oxygen concentration in the test vessels with an oxygen electrode in accordance with international standard methods [ISO 5414, 1990. Water quality - determination of dissolved oxygen. In: German Standard Methods for the Examination of Water, Wastewater and Sludge. VCH Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim, New York, Basel Cambridge]. Primary elimination of the QACs and of LAS was monitored by LC-MS/MS. There was little biodegradability of the QACs as either single compounds or in the presence of organic counter ions. The biodegradability of the organic counter ions was lower in the presence of QACs as compared to the single substances. Primary elimination of the QACs by sorption took place.

Use of coacervates for the on-site extraction/preservation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and benzalkonium surfactants.

The suitability of coacervates for the preservation of organic pollutants after their extraction from water samples was investigated for the first time. Acid-induced sodium dodecanesulfonic acid (SDSA) micelle-based coacervates were selected for this purpose. Their capacity to preserve benzalkonium homologue (C(12), C(14) and C(16)) surfactants (BASs) and different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) [benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkF), benzo(ghi)perylene (BghiP), benzo(a)anthracene (BaA) and indene(1,2,3-c-d)pyrene (IP)] was investigated. BASs and PAHs were efficiently extracted by the coacervate by formation of mixed aggregates and hydrophobic interactions, respectively. Their stability into the coacervate was investigated under three temperature conditions (room temperature, 4 degrees C and -20 degrees C) and two hydrochloric acid concentrations (3.75 M and 4.2 M), which was used to induce coacervation. No losses were observed during at least 3 months at the different experimental conditions tested. The increase of the temperature up to 35 degrees C for a month did not affect the stability of the target compounds. No influence of the water matrix (distilled, river or wastewater) on the stabilization of BASs and PAHs was observed. The high-stabilizing capacity of the coacervate for the target compounds and its low volume make easy the transport and storage of analytes.

Dual-opposite injection capillary electrophoresis for the determination of anionic and cationic homologous surfactants in a single run.

An electrophoretic method for the simultaneous separation and determination of cationic and anionic surfactants based on double electrokinetic injection from the two ends of the capillary is proposed here. Nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE) with methanol as solvent was used to reduce the electroosmotic flow so that under these conditions the analytes migrate toward the corresponding electrode. The optimization step was the key to solve the problems associated with surfactants analysis (namely, adsorption on the capillary wall, micelle formation, and those issues related to the separation of homologous compounds). Good results were obtained with the proposed method both for the analysis of both spiked and natural samples, thus demonstrating the applicability of the proposed method for routine analysis. Finally, a comparison between the proposed method and two methods for independent analysis of cationic and anionic surfactants was made. The results showed that the precision (between 1.90 and 4.10% for repeatability and 7.43 and 8.98% for within-laboratory reproducibility, both expressed as relative standard deviation) and sensitivity (limits of detection and quantification between 0.52 and 1.88 microg/mL and between 1.73 and 6.20 microg/mL, respectively) are not affected by the CE mode. The resolution was similar to or better than that of the comparison methods and the analysis time was considerably shortened as both types of compounds were determined in a single run in only 9 min.