Quaternary Ammonium Compound Residue Analysis
topic
Quaternary ammonium compound analysis extracts cationic biocide residues from treated textile specimens using acidified methanol, quantifying individual QAC species including benzalkonium chloride, DDAC, and ADBAC by LC-MS/MS with electrospray ionisation; wash-off kinetics testing monitors QAC concentration in successive laundering rinse waters to assess environmental release rates.
Role
Monitors antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compound residues in treated textiles for aquatic ecotoxicity risk assessment, as QACs are toxic to aquatic organisms at low concentrations and their widespread use in textile finishing combined with incomplete wastewater treatment creates measurable environmental contamination in receiving water bodies.