A surfactant is a chemical compound that lowers the surface tension of an aqueous solution. Surfactants are used as wetting agents, detergents, and emulsifiers. Their primary use in medicine is as antiseptics and disinfectants.
Surfactants are cationic, anionic, or nonionic.
The cationic surfactants, primarily represented by the quaternary ammonium compounds, are extremely important bacteriocidal agents.
Comprise a wide range of chemicals including but not limited to: benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, cetyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, and methylbenzethonium chloride.
If you review the common products used in UAF animal facilities you will find the following trade name which all contain quaternary ammonium compounds: Arsenal 6 Vindicator +, Enviro 64, A-33, and Lysol.
DO NOT USE THESE PRODUCTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOAPS (ANIONIC SURFACTANTS) UNLESS THERE IS A THOROUGH RINSING IN BETWEEN APPLICATION.
These various products are relatively safe while providing good bactericidal activity. In general, these compounds do not possess virucidal, fungicidal, or sporicidal activity. Although some products are available for use on live tissues, at UAF we use other compounds for antisepsis. However, many of our disinfectants used in the animal facilities comprise products containing these compounds. Quaternary ammonium compounds are less affected by the presence of organic matter than other disinfectants.