Abstract
In October 2020, analytical chemist William Arnold and his team at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities realized they were going to need more freezer space. Every month for the previous 5 months, the researchers had been going to nearby wastewater treatment plants to collect water samples. But because the university’s COVID-19 restrictions didn’t allow them to work inside their lab to analyze the water, the samples started accumulating in the lab freezer. The researchers were collecting the water to measure levels of quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) . Quats are commonly used in disinfectants, sanitizing wipes, and personal care products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfectant use has shot up, and half the disinfectants approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency to fight SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, contain quats. Quat disinfectants are essential for slowing the spread of disease, but the Minnesota researchers are concerned that their increased use
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