Quaternary Ammonium Compounds, also known as Quats are found in a lot of things we use every day. They are widely used as surface disinfectants and as antiseptics in mouthwashes, lozenges, nasal spray, baby wipes, moisturisers, shaving cream, body wash, toothpastes, spermicidal jellies, eye drops, shampoos, eye drops, and lotions.

 
1. They have strong antimicrobial properties
2. They are odourless
3. They are tasteless
4. They are moderately toxic
5. They are non-corrosive
6. They are stable, therefore they good shelf life
7. They are easily diluted
8. They are not affected by pH

Many people know about QUATS and that they are in the body products and cleaning products that they use frequently; however, some people may not know what QUATS are, which could be because they have never found the word “QUATS” listed as one of the ingredients on products labels or containers.

The reason for this is that there are a lot of substitute names for QUATS;
some of them are listed below:

1. Polyquaternium
2. Benzalkonium chloride
3. Benzathonium chloride
4. Grapefruit seed extract
5. Distearyldimonium chloride
6. Vegetable oil quaternary
7. Stearalkonium chloride
8. Catatonic surfactants
9. Didecyldimethylammonium chloride
10. Dioctyldimethylammonium chloride
11. Behentrimonium chloride
12. Begentrimonium methosulphate
13. Polyquaternium
14. Biodegradable fabric softening agents

If you check a product bottle and find any of the names above, then that product contains QUATS. Showing you QUATS as part of the ingredients used to make your products is the way the makers tell you the product has good cleansing action and can kill bacteria and fungi.

However, do not jump for joy if you just found out your products contain QUATS. This ubiquitous compounds have been discovered to do more harm than good.

There are a lot of serious side effects of QUATS, one of which is death. Yes, the side effects of QUATS can be fatal and they are fast becoming the compounds that health practitioners warn people to desist from using. 

 
1. QUATS are lung irritants and can Lead to breathing problems
2. They can cause skin irritation and can lead to rashes
3. They can cause convulsion
4. Depending on concentration, it could cause burning of gastrointestinal lining
5. They can cause nausea and vomiting
6. Some harmful bacteria can resist QUATs
7. They can lead to birth defects
8. They interfere with the functions of hormones in the body.
9. They can lead to coma
10. They can lead to fertility issues
11. They are toxic to aquatic life, which makes them unsafe for the environment.
12. They can cause death

QUATS stays for a very long time on the surface on which you have used it, which makes the rate of exposure of people and animals to the compound is very high. 

So I think it is best you do all you can not to buy or use a product containing QUATS.