Concentrations Of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Research Articles

Complex Infection-Control Measures with Disinfectant Switch Help the Successful Early Control of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Outbreak in Intensive Care Unit.

A carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) outbreak in an intensive care unit (ICU) was contained by an improved infection-control measure that included a disinfectant policy. In our retrospective cohort study, we describe the epidemiological investigations and infection-control measures during this outbreak. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize patient demographics, neurological diseases, surgical treatment, underlying diseases, infection, and outcomes. In December 2023, two CARB-positive patients were observed in the ICU, and four more patients became CRAB-positive in January. During this outbreak, there was an overlap of hospitalization periods among the CRAB-positive patients, and CRAB was isolated from the environment; the isolated CRAB strain was identical. Infection-control measures, including hand hygiene, contact precautions and isolation, surveillance, decolonization, environmental cleaning, and disinfection, were reviewed and modified. The aim of this study was to examine the molecular background of the effectiveness of the disinfectant shift used during successful outbreak control. Experiments were carried out to study the phenotypic sensitivity and genetic background of different disinfectant agents. A thorough analysis of the detected CRAB strain included whole-genome sequencing (WGS), investigation of the qacE and qacEΔ1 genes' relative expression by qPCR after exposure to different disinfectant solutions, as well as an analysis of biofilm formation. WGS analysis of the CRAB strain identified that an ST2 high-risk clone was responsible for the outbreak, which produced OXA-83 and ADC-30 beta-lactamases; in addition, qacE and qacEΔ1 genes were also detected, which confer resistance to disinfectants containing quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). A qPCR analysis demonstrated that after exposure to different disinfectants, the gene expression levels of qacE and qacEΔ1 increased and correlated with concentrations of QACs of disinfectants. During the outbreak, the standard-of-care QAC-based disinfectant was changed to a mainly alcohol-based agent in the ICU, which contributed to the successful control of this outbreak, and no additional patients were identified with CRAB. We conclude that continuous surveillance and hand hygiene training combined with fast identification and reaction to new cases, as well as an in-depth analysis of multidrug-resistant outbreak strains and investigation of their disinfectant tolerance/resistance during an outbreak, are essential to effectively control the spread of nosocomial pathogens. The smart policy of disinfectant agent selection played a crucial role in controlling the outbreak and ensuring patient safety in the ICU.

Quantification of quaternary ammonium compounds by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: Minimizing losses from the field to the laboratory

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) are widely used in household, medical and industrial settings. As a consequence, they are ubiquitously found in the environment. Although significant efforts have been put into the development of sensitive and reproducible analytical methods, much less effort has been dedicated to the monitoring of QACs upon sample storage and sample preparation. Here we studied the effect of storage, concentration, and extraction procedures on the concentrations of QACs in samples. Thirteen QACs selected amongst benzalkonium compounds (BACs), dialkyldimethylammonium compounds (DADMACs) and alkyltrimethylammonium compounds (ATMACs) were quantified in aqueous and solid samples using LC-MS/MS. Most QACs adsorbed on container walls could be recovered using a short washing step with MeOH containing 2 % v/v formic acid. Concentrations of QACs from aqueous solutions using solid phase extraction (SPE) with Strata-X cartridges and elution with acidified MeOH utilized to wash the emptied containers gave highly satisfactory recoveries (101–111 %). Good recoveries (89–116 %) were also obtained when extracting a spiked organic-rich synthetic soil using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) with acidified MeOH at low solid/solvent ratio (0.4 g/20 mL). Applying the recommended methodologies to real samples collected from a Canadian wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) gave QAC concentrations in the ranges of 0.01–30 µg/L, < 1.2 µg/L, and 0.05–27 mg/kg for the influent, effluent and biosolids samples, respectively.

High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Screening of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) in Dust from Homes and Various Microenvironments in South China.

Despite their ubiquitous use, information regarding the presence of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in various microenvironments remains scarce and only a small subset of QACs has been monitored using targeted chemical analysis. In this study, a total of 111 dust samples were collected from homes and various public settings in South China during the COVID-19 pandemic and were analyzed for traditional and emerging QACs using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The total traditional QAC concentrations in residential dust (∑traditional QAC, sum of 18 traditional QACs) ranged from 13.8 to 150 μg/g with a median concentration of 42.2 μg/g. Twenty-eight emerging QACs were identified in these samples, and the composition of ∑emerging QAC (sum of emerging QACs) to ∑QAC (sum of traditional and emerging QACs) ranged from 19 to 42% across various microenvironments, indicating the widespread existence of emerging QACs in indoor environments. Additionally, dust samples from cinemas exhibited higher ∑QAC concentrations compared to homes (medians 65.9 μg/g vs 58.3 μg/g, respectively), indicating heavier emission sources of QACs in these places. Interestingly, significantly higher ∑QAC concentrations were observed in dust from the rooms with carpets than those without (medians 65.6 μg/g vs 32.6 μg/g, p < 0.05, respectively). Overall, this study sheds light on the ubiquitous occurrence of QACs in indoor environments in South China.

Resistance to Chlorhexidine and Benzalkonium Chloride in E. Coli ST131, A. Baumannii, and P. Aeruginosa Isolates.

The goal was to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of two commonly used biocides, chlorhexidine, and benzalkonium chloride, against MDR isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Escherichia coli ST131, as well as the prevalence of resistance genes. MIC of chlorhexidine and benzalkonium chloride and their effects on both the planktonic phase and biofilm were determined. Finally, the presence of genes responsible for resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds was investigated by PCR. No significant relationship was observed between the presence of resistance genes and different concentrations of quaternary ammonium compounds (benzalkonium chloride). There was no association between biofilm formation and the presence of resistance genes. Chlorhexidine digluconate and benzalkonium chloride at appropriate concentrations could prevent biofilm formation.

Ecotoxicity and rapid degradation of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) subjected to combined vacuum UV and UV-C treatment

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are active ingredients in a palette of commercially available disinfectants, sanitizers, and biocides. QACs are widely used because of their broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties but the ubiquitous uses have resulted in frequent detection in aquatic and terrestrial matrices including domestic wastewater, surface waters, urban soils and sediments. An increased domestic QACs consumption has increased the environmental occurrence, and investigation of mitigation methods and effects on non-target organisms are in demand. In this study, we examined the potential ecotoxicity of six QACs and investigated the effect of combined vacuum UV (185 nm) and UV-C (254 nm) irradiation (VUV/UVC) on degradation and mitigation of ecotoxicity of QACs. The study showed that combined VUV/UVC irradiation facilitated rapid degradation of benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, and hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride. The estimated half-lives varied between 2 and 7 min, and degradation was affected by the initial QAC concentrations, the UV fluence, and the water matrix. The potential ecotoxicity of QACs and VUV/UVC treated QACs was examined using a battery of test organisms that included the luminescent bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri, the gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria Escherichiacoli and Enterococcus faecalis, the freshwater microalga Raphidocelis subcapitata, and the crustacean Daphia magna. The potential for trophic transfer of QACs was investigated in a simplified aquatic food web. Test organisms from different trophic levels were included to assess adverse effects of bioactive compounds in VUV/UVC treated samples including transformation products. The study showed that several QACs were highly toxic to aquatic test organisms with EC50 and/or EC20 values < 1 μM. VUV/UVC treatment of QACs resulted in substantial photolysis of the parent compounds and comprehensive mitigation of the ecotoxicity potential. VUV/UVC represent an attractive oxidation technology for abatement QACs in contaminated water because the process does not require addition of catalysts or precursors.

Bacterial communities in residential wastewater treatment plants are physiologically adapted to high concentrations of quaternary ammonium compounds

AbstractBenzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) widely used as the active ingredient of disinfectants. Its excessive discharge into wastewater is constant and in high concentrations, likely affecting the physiology of microbial communities. We compared the physiological community profile of activated sludge (AS) bacteria with and without prior in vitro exposure to a high concentration of BAC (10 mg L−1). We measured the community functional diversity, carbon substrate multifunctionality, and the median effective concentration that inhibits carbon respiration (EC50) using Biolog EcoPlates supplemented with a gradient of 0–50 mg L−1 of BAC. Surprisingly, we did not find significant differences in the physiological parameters among treatments. Certain abundant bacteria, including Pseudomonas, could explain the community's tolerance to high concentrations of BAC. We suggest that bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants’ AS are “naturally” adapted to BAC due to frequent and high‐dose exposure. We highlight the need to understand better the effects of QACs in wastewater, their impact on the selection of tolerant groups, and the alteration in community metabolic profiles.

Unraveling Enterococcus susceptibility to quaternary ammonium compounds: genes, phenotypes, and the impact of environmental conditions.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have been extensively used in the community, healthcare facilities, and food chain, in concentrations between 20 and 30,000 mg/L. Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are ubiquitous in these settings and are recognized as nosocomial pathogens worldwide, but QACs' activity against strains from diverse epidemiological and genomic backgrounds remained largely unexplored. We evaluated the role of Enterococcus isolates from different sources, years, and clonal lineages as hosts of QACs tolerance genes and their susceptibility to QACs in optimal, single-stress and cross-stress growth conditions. Only 1% of the Enterococcus isolates included in this study and 0.5% of publicly available Enterococcus genomes carried qacA/B, qacC, qacG, qacJ, qacZ, qrg, bcrABC or oqxAB genes, shared with >60 species of Bacillota, Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, or Spirochaetota. These genes were generally found within close proximity of antibiotics and/or metals resistance genes. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of benzalkonium chloride (BC) and didecyldimethylammonium chloride ranged between 0.5 and 4 mg/L (microdilution: 37°C/20 h/pH = 7/aerobiosis) for 210 E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates (two isolates carrying qacZ). Modified growth conditions (e.g., 22°C/pH = 5) increased MICBC/MBCBC (maximum of eightfold and MBCBC = 16 mg/L) and changed bacterial growth kinetics under BC toward later stationary phases in both species, including in isolates without QACs tolerance genes. In conclusion, Enterococcus are susceptible to in-use QACs concentrations and rarely carry QACs tolerance genes. However, their potential gene exchange with different microbiota, the decreased susceptibility to QACs under specific environmental conditions, and the presence of subinhibitory QACs concentrations in various settings may contribute to the selection of particular strains and, thus, require a One Health strategy to maintain QACs effectiveness. IMPORTANCE Despite the increasing use of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), the susceptibility of pathogens to these antimicrobials remains largely unknown. Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis are susceptible to in-use QACs concentrations and are not main hosts of QACs tolerance genes but participate in gene transfer pathways with diverse bacterial taxa exposed to these biocides. Moreover, QACs tolerance genes often share the same genetic contexts with antibiotics and/or metals resistance genes, raising concerns about potential co-selection events. E. faecium and E. faecalis showed increased tolerance to benzalkonium chloride under specific environmental conditions (22°C, pH = 5), suggesting that strains might be selected in settings where they occur along with subinhibitory QACs concentrations. Transcriptomic studies investigating the cellular mechanisms of Enterococcus adaptation to QACs tolerance, along with longitudinal metadata analysis of tolerant populations dynamics under the influence of diverse environmental factors, are essential and should be prioritized within a One Health strategy.

Identification and characterization of quaternary ammonium compounds in Flemish indoor dust by ion-mobility high-resolution mass spectrometry

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are a class of surfactants commonly used in disinfecting and cleaning products. Their use has substantially increased during the COVID-19 pandemic leading to increasing human exposure. QACs have been associated with hypersensitivity reactions and an increased risk of asthma. This study introduces the first identification, characterization and semi-quantification of QACs in European indoor dust using ion-mobility high-resolution mass spectrometry (IM-HRMS), including the acquisition of collision cross section values (DTCCSN2) for targeted and suspect QACs. A total of 46 indoor dust samples collected in Belgium were analyzed using target and suspect screening. Targeted QACs (n = 21) were detected with detection frequencies ranging between 4.2 and 100 %, while 15 QACs showed detection frequencies > 90 %. Semi-quantified concentrations of individual QACs showed a maximum of 32.23 µg/g with a median ∑QAC concentration of 13.05 µg/g and allowed the calculation of Estimated Daily Intakes for adults and toddlers. Most abundant QACs matched the patterns reported in indoor dust collected in the United States. Suspect screening allowed the identification of 17 additional QACs. A dialkyl dimethyl ammonium compound with mixed chain lengths (C16:C18) was characterized as a major QAC homologue with a maximum semi-quantified concentration of 24.90 µg/g. The high detection frequencies and structural variabilities observed call for more European studies on potential human exposure to these compounds. For all targeted QACs, drift tube IM-HRMS derived collision cross section values (DTCCSN2) are reported. Reference DTCCSN2 values allowed the characterization of CCS-m/z trendlines for each of the targeted QAC classes. Experimental CCS-m/z ratios of suspect QACs were compared with the CCS-m/z trendlines. The alignment between the two datasets served as an additional confirmation of the assigned suspect QACs. The use of the 4bit multiplexing acquisition mode with consecutive high-resolution demultiplexing confirmed the presence of isomers for two of the suspect QACs.

Low concentration quaternary ammonium compounds promoted antibiotic resistance gene transfer via plasmid conjugation

During the pandemic of COVID-19, the amounts of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) used to inactivate the virus in public facilities, hospitals and households increased, which raised concerns about the evolution and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Although QACs may play an important role in the propagation of antibiotic resistance gene (ARGs), the potential contribution and mechanism remains unclear. Here, the results showed that benzyl dodecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDBAC) and didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) significantly promoted plasmid RP4-mediated ARGs transfer within and across genera at environmental relevant concentrations (0.0004–0.4 mg/L). Low concentrations of QACs did not contribute to the permeability of the cell plasma membrane, but significantly increased the permeability of the cell outer membrane due to the decrease in content of lipopolysaccharides. QACs altered the composition and content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and were positively correlated with the conjugation frequency. Furthermore, transcriptional expression levels of genes encode for mating pairing formation (trbB), DNA replication and translocation (trfA), and global regulators (korA, korB, trbA) are regulated by QACs. And we demonstrate for the first time that QACs decreased the concentration of extracellular AI-2 signals, which was verified to be involved in regulating conjugative transfer genes (trbB, trfA). Collectively, our findings underscore the risk of increased disinfectant concentrations of QACs on the ARGs transfer and provide new mechanisms of plasmid conjugation.

Quaternary ammonium compounds of emerging concern: Classification, occurrence, fate, toxicity and antimicrobial resistance.

Amplified hygiene and precautionary measures are of utmost importance to control the spread of COVID-19 and future infection; however, these changes in practice are projected to trigger a rise in the purchase, utilisation and hence, discharge of many disinfectants into the environment. While alcohol-based, hydrogen peroxide-based, and chlorine-based compounds have been used widely, quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) based disinfectants are of significant concern due to their overuse during this pandemic. This review presents the classification of disinfectants and their mechanism of action, focusing on QACs. Most importantly, the occurrence, fate, toxicity and antimicrobial resistance due to QACs are covered in this paper. Here we collated evidence from multiple studies and found rising trends of concern, including an increase in the mass load of QACs at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) by 331% compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an increases in the concentration of 62% in residential dust, resulting in high concentrations of QACs in human blood and breast milk and suggesting that these could be potential sources of persistent QACs in infants. In addition to increased toxicity to human and aquatic life, increased use of QACs and accelerated use of antibiotics and antimicrobials during the COVID-19 pandemic could multiply the threat to antimicrobial resistance.

Insights into the impact of quaternary ammonium disinfectant on sewage sludge anaerobic digestion: Dose-response, performance variation, and potential mechanisms

Wide commercial applications of antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) inevitably lead to the release into wastewater and enrichment in sewage sludge. This study evaluated the impacts of levels and structures of QACs on sewage sludge properties, microbial community, and methane production during anaerobic digestion. Methane production was stimulated or not affected at low QACs concentrations, but significantly inhibited at high QACs concentrations. Compared with benzyl and alkyltrimethyl QACs, dialkyl QACs showed least toxicity on digestion performance. Meanwhile, microbial community analysis indicated that shifts in bacterial communities mainly depended on QACs doses, but the archaeal communities were affected by both QACs doses and types. The dominant methanogenic pathway shifted from acetotrophic/methylotrophic methanogens to mixotrophic methanogens by low levels of benzyl and alkyltrimethyl QACs but not dialkyl QACs, and further to hydrogenotrophic methanogens at high QACs concentration. Mechanism exploration revealed that the presence of QACs promoted sludge solubilization by the integrated effects of cell lysis, electric neutralization, and hydrophobicity improvement, but inhibited methanogenesis due to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids and susceptibility of methanogens to QACs. These findings provided a reference for potential impacts of different QACs on sludge biological treatment, which had implications for the use and selection of QACs disinfectants.

Migration, Transformation, and Toxicity of Quaternary Ammonium Antimicrobial Agents in the Environment

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are one type of widely used cationic biocide, and their usage amount is growing rapidly due to the flu and COVID-19 pandemic. Many QACs were released into the environment in or after the course of their use, and thus they were widely detected in water, sediment, soil, and other environmental media. QACs have stronger surface activity and non-specific biotoxicity, which poses a potential threat to the ecosystem. In this study, the environmental fate and potential toxicity of QACs were documented in terms of their migration and transformation process, biological toxicity effects, and the main mechanisms of bacterial resistance to QACs. Aerobic biodegradation was the main natural way of eliminating QACs in the environment, and the reaction was mainly initiated by the hydroxylation of C atoms at different positions of QACs and finally mineralized to CO2and H2O through decarboxylation, demethylation, and β-oxidation reaction. Toxicological studies showed that QACs at environmental concentrations could not pose acute toxicity to the selected biotas but threatened the growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms like Daphnia magna. Their toxicity effects depended on their molecular structure, the tested species, and the exposed durations. Additionally, our team first investigated the toxicity effects and mechanisms of QACs toward Microcystis aeruginosa, which showed that QACs depressed the algae growth through the denaturation of photosynthetic organelles, suppression of electron transport, and then induction of cell membrane damage. In the environment, the concentrations of QACs were always lower than their bactericidal concentrations, and their degradation could induce the formation of a concentration gradient, which facilitated microbes resistant to QACs. The known resistance mechanisms of bacteria to QACs mainly included the change in cell membrane structure and composition, formation of biofilm, overexpression of the efflux pump gene, and acquisition of resistance genes. Due to the similar targets and mechanisms, QACs could also induce the occurrence of antibiotic resistance, mainly through co-resistance and cross-resistance. Based on the existing data, future research should emphasize the toxicity effect and the potential QACs resistance mechanism of microorganisms in real environmental conditions.

Short-term stress of quaternary ammonium compounds on intracellular and extracellular resistance genes in denitrification systems

The wastewater containing high quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) concentrations from hospitals and other sources may cause the transient shock loads on the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Denitrification is the key part of nitrogen removal from wastewater, however, the effects of QACs on the denitrification and the spread patterns of intracellular and extracellular resistance genes were still unknown. The short-term stress of three frequently detected QACs on denitrification were systematically investigated in this study. The inhibitory effect on nitrate removal had the following rules: BAC C12 > ATMAC C12 > DADMAC C12. The inhibition of QACs on denitrification performance was correlated with the reduction of Thauera abundance, and a higher QACs concentration made stronger inhibitory effect. Moreover, high concentrations of QACs could cause a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species, inhibit cell activity and extracellular polymeric substances secretion. Furthermore, QACs stimulated an overall increase of intracellular and extracellular QACs resistance genes in denitrification systems, both in sludge and in water. And co-selection among resistance genes occurred under shock loads of QACs, especially a high BAC C12 concentration caused a substantial raise in abundances of resistance genes in water. It was worth noting that resistance genes in sludge and water were mainly contributed by different bacteria. Rhizobium and Pseudomonas may be the potential hosts contributed to resistance genes in sludge while Thauera mainly contributed to that in water.

The efficacy of nisin against Listeria monocytogenes on cold-smoked salmon at natural contamination levels is concentration-dependent and varies by serotype.

Cold-smoked salmon is a ready-to-eat food product capable of supporting Listeria monocytogenes growth at refrigeration temperatures. While the FDA-approved antimicrobial nisin can be used to mitigate L. monocytogenes contamination, stresses associated with cold-smoked salmon and the associated processing environments may reduce nisin efficacy. A previous study in our laboratory showed that, at high inoculation levels, pre-exposure of L. monocytogenes to sublethal concentrations of quaternary ammonium compounds had an overall detrimental effect on nisin efficacy. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of nisin concentration and storage temperature on nisin efficacy against L. monocytogenes inoculated on salmon at natural contamination levels. Three L. monocytogenes strains were pre-grown in the presence of sublethal levels of benzalkonium chloride prior to inoculation at ~102 CFU/g on salmon slices that were pre-treated with either 0, 25, or 250 ppm nisin, followed by vacuum-packing and incubation at 4 or 7°C for up to 30 days. L. monocytogenes was enumerated on days 1, 15, and 30 using direct plating and/or most probable number methods. A hurdle model was constructed to describe the odds of complete elimination of L. monocytogenes on salmon and the level of L. monocytogenes when complete elimination was not achieved. Our data showed that (i) nisin efficacy (defined as L. monocytogenes reduction relative to the untreated control) was concentration-dependent with increased efficacy at 250 ppm nisin, and that (ii) 250 ppm nisin treatments led to a reduction in L. monocytogenes prevalence, independent of storage temperature and serotype; this effect of nisin could only be identified since low inoculation levels were used. While lower storage temperatures (i.e., 4°C) yielded lowered absolute L. monocytogenes counts on days 15 and 30 (as compared to 7°C), nisin efficacy did not differ between these two temperatures. Finally, the serotype 1/2b strain was found to be more susceptible to nisin compared with serotype 1/2a and 4b strains on samples incubated at 7°C or treated with 25 ppm nisin. This variation of nisin susceptibility across serotypes, which is affected by both the storage temperature and nisin concentration, needs to be considered while evaluating the efficacy of nisin.

Evaluation of the efficacy of ethanol, peracetic acid, and quaternary ammonium compounds against murine norovirus using carrier and suspension tests

Virucidal suspension testing is commonly used as an authorized test for disinfectants. However, this method could not precisely evaluate the effect of disinfectants on food-contact surfaces. To solve this problem, a carrier testing method needs to be established in the food-processing industries by following a standard guideline. Therefore, we employed two murine norovirus strains (MNV-1 and MNV-S99) to evaluate the antiviral efficacy of three disinfectants, i.e., ethanol, peracetic acid (PAA), and quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) after three contact times (1, 5 and 10 min) as per the OECD guidelines regarding the carrier test. Following this, we compared the results of carrier testing results with those of suspension testing. The standard level of antiviral efficacy for disinfectants was determined by ≥ 3 log10 (99.9%) and ≥4 log10 (99.99%) reduction of viral titers in carrier and suspensions tests, respectively. In the carrier test, ethanol and PAA were effective against both MNVs and showed the standard level of performance at selected concentrations and contact times; the exception being the highest concentration of ethanol (90% for all contact times) and lowest concentration of PAA (80 ppm for 1 min). QACs were not effective against both MNVs at all selected concentrations and contact times. In the case of suspension test, ethanol and PAA exhibited the best antiviral efficacy and showed the standard level of performance at all contact times and concentrations; while, all concentrations of QACs were not enough to reduce the MNV-1 titers for achieving the standard level of performance during experimental conditions. This study showed that ethanol and PAA could inactivate MNVs under surface and suspension conditions. Therefore, these results could provide valuable information for establishing standard antiviral efficacy tests and approaches to control viral transmission via surfaces.

The first detection of quaternary ammonium compounds in breast milk: Implications for early-life exposure.

BackgroundQuaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), commonly used in cleaning, disinfecting, and personal care products, have recently gained worldwide attention due to the massive use of disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, despite extensive use of these chemicals, no studies have focused on the analysis of QACs in human milk, a major route of exposure for infants. ObjectiveOur objectives were to identify and measure QACs in breast milk and evaluate early-life exposure to this group of compounds for nursing infants.MethodsEighteen QACs, including 6 benzylalkyldimethyl ammonium compounds (BACs, with alkyl chain lengths of C8-C18), 6 dialkyldimethyl ammonium compounds (DDACs, C8-C18), and 6 alkyltrimethyl ammonium compounds (ATMACs, C8-C18), were measured in breast milk samples collected from U.S. mothers. Daily lactational intake was estimated based on the determined concentrations for 0–12 month old nursing infants.ResultsThirteen of the 18 QACs were detected in breast milk and 7 of them were found in more than half of the samples. The total QAC concentrations (ΣQAC) ranged from 0.33 to 7.4 ng/mL (median 1.5 ng/mL). The most abundant QAC was C14-BAC with a median concentration of 0.45 ng/mL. The highest median ΣQAC estimated daily intake (EDI) was determined for <1-month old infants based on the average (using the median concentration) and high (using the 95th percentile concentration) exposure scenarios (230 and 750 ng/kg body weight/day, respectively).SignificanceOur findings provide the first evidence of the detection of several QACs in breast milk and identify breastfeeding as an exposure pathway to QACs for nursing infants.Impact statementOur findings provide the first evidence of QAC occurrence in breast milk and identify breastfeeding as one of the exposure pathways to QACs for nursing infants.

Molecular mechanism of antibiotic resistance induced by mono- and twin-chained quaternary ammonium compounds

The usage of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) as disinfectants has increased dramatically since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, leading to potentially accelerated emergence of antibiotic resistance. Long-term exposure to subinhibitory level QACs can lead to multidrug resistance, but the contribution of mutagenesis to resistance evolution is obscure. In this study, we subcultured E. coli K-12 under subinhibitory (0.25 × and 0.5 × Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, MIC) or inhibitory (1 × and 2 × MIC) concentrations of benzalkonium chloride (BAC, mono-chained) or didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC, twin-chained) for 60 days. The sensitivity of QAC-adapted cells to five typical antibiotics decreased significantly, and in particular, the MIC of rifampicin increased by 85 times. E. coli adapted faster to BAC but developed 20–167% higher antibiotic resistance with 56% more mutations under DDAC exposure. The broader mutations induced by QACs, including negative regulators (acrR, marR, soxR, and crp), outer membrane proteins and transporters (mipA and sbmA), and RNA polymerase (rpoB and rpoC), potentially contributed to the high multi-drug resistance. After QACs stresses were removed, the phenotypic resistance induced by subinhibitory concentrations of QACs was reversible, whereas that induced by inhibitory concentrations of QACs was irreversible. The different patterns and molecular mechanism of antibiotic resistance induced by BAC and DDAC is informative to estimating the risks of broader QACs present at varied concentrations in the environment.

Biosolids for safe land application: does wastewater treatment plant size matters when considering antibiotics, pollutants, microbiome, mobile genetic elements and associated resistance genes?

SummarySoil fertilization with wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) biosolids is associated with the introduction of resistance genes (RGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and potentially selective pollutants (antibiotics, heavy metals, disinfectants) into soil. Not much data are available on the parallel analysis of biosolid pollutant contents, RG/MGE abundances and microbial community composition. In the present study, DNA extracted from biosolids taken at 12 WWTPs (two large‐scale, six middle‐scale and four small‐scale plants) was used to determine the abundance of RGs and MGEs via quantitative real‐time PCR and the bacterial and archaeal community composition was assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Concentrations of heavy metals, antibiotics, the biocides triclosan, triclocarban and quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) were measured. Strong and significant correlations were revealed between several target genes and concentrations of Cu, Zn, triclosan, several antibiotics and QACs. Interestingly, the size of the sewage treatment plant (inhabitant equivalents) was negatively correlated with antibiotic concentrations, RGs and MGEs abundances and had little influence on the load of metals and QACs or the microbial community composition. Biosolids from WWTPs with anaerobic treatment and hospitals in their catchment area were associated with a higher abundance of potential opportunistic pathogens and higher concentrations of QACs.

A surface sampling and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method for the analysis of quaternary ammonium compounds collected from public transportation buses in New Jersey

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are a class of antimicrobial disinfectants whose use in cleaning products increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chemically, their low vapor pressure indicates a proclivity to persist on surfaces, and their presence suggests a level of protection against microorganisms. The widespread application of QACs in response to the SARS CoV-2 virus created a need to evaluate their longevity on surfaces, for both efficacy and possible health risks. There are however, no standardized analytical methods for QAC surface sampling and analysis, and no published studies quantifying their concentrations on mass transportation vehicles-a high occupancy, close-contact microenvironment documented to facilitate the spread the SARS CoV-2 virus. Here, we describe a robust liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for the analysis of QACs and simultaneous development of a direct surface sampling and extraction protocol. We demonstrate the applicability of the method through the analysis of surface samples collected from in-service public transportation buses.The rapid, sensitive LC-MS method included 8 target QACs quantified on a Q-Exactive HF Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer using an electrospray ionization source and Dionex UltiMate 3000 UHPLC system for analyte separation. QAC standard mixtures at concentrations between 0.1 ng mL−1 and 2000 ng mL−1 were analyzed, and chromatographic separation of all analytes was achieved in less than 10 min. All correlation coefficients were reported at r > 0.986, and LODs ranged from 0.007 to 2.103 ng mL−1 for all compounds, confirming the method's sensitivity. A previously reported surface sampling and extraction protocol was modified to further simplify the procedure and expand the number of target compounds. The new sampling protocol was optimized from 10 commercially available wipes and 4 solvent types by quantifying recovery from the surface. Band-Aid brand small gauze pads saturated with isopropanol had the highest recovery efficiencies, ranging from 61.5 to 102.9% across all analytes. To test the real-world applicability, wipe samples were collected from 4 in-circulation New Jersey Transit buses on 5 separate days over the course of a month to assess the occurrence and longevity of QACs on sanitized mass transportation vehicles. Concentrations of QACs were detected on every wipe sample taken, and at all sampled time points, confirming their persistence on hard surfaces. QACs have the potential to form polymers, and detection of the polymer might serve as a secondary indication of their effectiveness on surfaces. None of the polymers detected however, were unique to QACs from this study. The polymers detected were already present in the wipe and used as an internal standard to demonstrate the efficacy of extraction and analysis of polymeric QACs.

Biological removal of benzalkonium chlorides from wastewater by immobilized cells of Pseudomonas sp. BIOMIG1 in an up-flow packed bed reactor

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are active ingredients of many disinfectants used against SARS-CoV-2 to control the transmission of the virus through human-contact surfaces. As a result, QAC consumption has increased more than twice during the pandemic. Consequently, the concentration of QACs in wastewater and receiving environments may increase. Due to their antimicrobial activity, high levels of QACs in wastewater may cause malfunctioning of biological treatment systems resulting in inadequate treatment of wastewater. In this study, a biocatalyst was produced by entrapping Pseudomonas sp. BIOMIG1 capable of degrading QACs in calcium alginate. Bioactive 3-mm alginate beads degraded benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), a group of QACs, with a rate of 0.47 µM-BACs/h in shake flasks. A bench-scale continuous up-flow reactor packed with BIOMIG1-beads was operated over one and a half months with either synthetic wastewater or secondary effluent containing 2–20 µM BACs at an empty bed contact time (EBCT) ranging between 0.6 and 4.7 h. Almost complete BAC removal was achieved from synthetic and real wastewater at and above 1.2 h EBCT without aeration and effluent recirculation. The microbial community in beads dominantly composed of BIOMIG1 with trace number of Achromobacter spp. after the operation of the reactor with the real wastewater, suggesting that BIOMIG1 over-competed native wastewater bacteria during the operation. This reactor system offers a low cost and robust treatment of QACs in wastewater. It can be integrated to conventional treatment systems for efficient removal of QACs from the wastewater, especially during the pandemic period.