Effect Of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Research Articles

Antimicrobial activity of disinfectants used in prosthetic dentistry depending on the degree of dilution (an experimental in vitro study)

Relevance. Determining the antimicrobial activity of disinfectants and their impact on conditionally pathogenic microbiota (CPM), as well as justifying the selection of agents for treating dental impressions and prostheses, remains an unresolved issue requiring thorough research. The effects of quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) on various microorganisms, particularly regarding their effective dilution in dental practice, are not well-studied despite their widespread use.Objective. To compare the antimicrobial activity of alkaline combined disinfectants, QAC derivatives, and polyhydric alcohols at various dilutions against CPM strains in vitro.Materials and methods. Dilutions of domestic disinfectants—"Megadez Ortho" (VladMiva), "Vendelin" (Bozon), and "Trilox" (Biotorg)—were prepared in sterile heart-brain broth (Himedia Labs, India) ranging from 1:200 to 1:200,000. Microbial growth curves were assessed using a bioreactor RS (Biosan, Latvia). The study involved three test strains of CPM: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus cereus.Results. The in vitro experiment results indicate that working solutions of the disinfectants at dilutions of 1:200 and 1:20 exhibit bactericidal activity against all test strains: S. aureus, E. coli, and B. cereus. The antimicrobial activity against B. cereus was observed at slightly higher concentrations compared to S. aureus and E. coli.Conclusion. Based on the decrease in disinfectant activity, the preparations can be ranked in the following order of decreasing efficacy: "Trilox" → "Vendelin" → "Megadez Ortho." A notable advantage of "Trilox" is its statistically significant higher activity against spore-forming bacilli B. cereus.

Reproductive & developmental toxicity of quaternary ammonium compounds†.

Quaternary ammonium compounds are a class of chemicals commonly used as disinfectants in household and healthcare settings. Their usage has significantly increased in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, quaternary ammonium compounds have replaced the recently banned disinfectants triclosan and triclocarban in consumer products. Quaternary ammonium compounds are found in daily antimicrobial and personal care products such as household disinfectants, mouthwash, and hair care products. Due to the pervasiveness of quaternary ammonium compounds in daily use products, humans are constantly exposed. However, little is known about the health effects of everyday quaternary ammonium compound exposure, particularly effects on human reproduction and development. Studies that investigate the harmful effects of quaternary ammonium compounds on reproduction are largely limited to high-dose studies, which may not be predictive of low-dose, daily exposure, especially as quaternary ammonium compounds may be endocrine-disrupting chemicals. This review analyzes recent studies on quaternary ammonium compound effects on reproductive health, identifies knowledge gaps, and recommends future directions in quaternary ammonium compound-related research. Summary Sentence Quaternary ammonium compounds, a class of disinfecting compounds that have skyrocketed in usage during the COVID-19 pandemic, are emerging as reproductive and developmental toxicants.

Synergistic Bactericidal Effects of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds with Essential Oil Constituents.

Antimicrobial tolerance is a significant concern in the food industry, as it poses risks to food safety and public health. To overcome this challenge, synergistic combinations of antimicrobials have emerged as a potential solution. In this study, the combinations of two essential oil constituents (EOCs), namely carvacrol (CAR) and eugenol (EUG), with the quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) were evaluated for their antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus, two common foodborne bacteria. The checkerboard assay was employed to determine the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) and the fractional bactericidal concentration index (FBCI), indicating the presence of bactericidal, but not bacteriostatic, synergy in all QAC-EOC combinations. Bactericidal synergism was clearly supported by Bliss independence analysis. The bactericidal activity of the promising synergistic combinations was further validated by time-kill curves, achieving a >4-log10 reduction of initial bacterial load, which is significant compared to typical industry standards. The combinations containing DDAC showed the highest efficiency, resulting in the eradication of bacterial population in less than 2-4 h. These findings emphasize the importance of considering both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects when evaluating antimicrobial combinations and the potential of EOC-QAC combinations for sanitization and disinfection in the food industry.

Polypropylene-Rendered Antiviral by Three-Dimensionally Surface-Grafted Poly(N-benzyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide).

To inhibit viral infection, it is necessary for the surface of polypropylene (PP), a polymer of significant industrial relevance, to possess biocidal properties. However, due to its low surface energy, PP weakly interacts with other organic molecules. The biocidal effects of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have inspired the development of nonwoven PP fibers with surface-bound quaternary ammonium (QA). Despite this advancement, there is limited knowledge regarding the durability of these coatings against scratching and abrasion. It is hypothesized that the durability could be improved if the thickness of the coating layer were controlled and increased. We herein functionalized PP with three-dimensionally surface-grafted poly(N-benzyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide) (PBVP) by a simple and rapid method involving graft polymerization and benzylation and examined the influence of different factors on the antiviral effect of the resulting plastic by using a plaque assay. The thickness of the PBVP coating, surface roughness, and amount of QACs, which jointly determine biocidal activity, could be controlled by adjusting the duration and intensity of the ultraviolet irradiation used for grafting. The best-performing sample reduced the viral infection titer of an enveloped model virus (bacteriophage ϕ6) by approximately 5 orders of magnitude after 60 min of contact and retained its antiviral activity after surface polishing-simulated scratching and abrasion, which indicated the localization of QACs across the coating interior. Our method may expand the scope of application to resin plates as well as fibers of PP. Given that the developed approach is not limited to PP and may be applied to other low-surface-energy olefinic polymers such as polyethylene and polybutene, our work paves the way for the fabrication of a wide range of biocidal surfaces for use in diverse environments, helping to prevent viral infection.

A Systematic Review and Quantitative Synthesis of the Efficacy of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds in Disinfesting Non-fungal Plant Pathogens.

This quantitative review and systematic analysis of the effectiveness of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in disinfesting non-fungal plant pathogens in agricultural and horticultural cropping systems is a complementary follow-up to a previous study that evaluated the efficacy of QACs against fungal plant pathogens. In the present study, a meta-analysis involving 67 studies was conducted to assess the overall efficacy of QACs against plant pathogenic bacteria, oomycetes and viruses, and to identify factors associated with observed differences in product efficacy. Across all studies, QACs resulted in a significant (P < 0.0001) reduction in either disease intensity or propagule viability with a mean Hedges' g (g+) of 1.75, indicating that overall QAC treatments were moderately effective against non-fungal pathogens. Significant differences in product efficacy were observed between organism types (P = 0.0001), with QAC interventions resulting in higher efficacy (P = 0.0002) against oomycetes ( g+ = 4.20) than against viruses ( g+ = 1.42) and bacteria ( g+ = 1.07), which were not different (P = 0.2689) from each other. As a result, bacterium and virus types were combined into a composite set (BacVir). QAC intervention against BacVir resulted in significant differences in efficacy within categorical moderator subgroups for genus (P = 0.0133), target material (P = 0.0001) and QAC product generation (P = 0.0281). QAC intervention against oomycetes resulted in significant differences in efficacy only for genus (P < 0.0001). For the BacVir composite, five random effects (RE) meta-regression models were significant (P = 0.05), where models with dose and time, dose and genus, time and genus, dose and target; and time and target accounted for 62%, 61%, 52%, 83% and 88%, respectively, of the variance in true effect sizes (R2) associated with . For oomycetes, three RE meta-regression models were significant (P = 0.05), where models with dose and time; dose and genus, and time and genus accounted for 64%, 86% and 90 %, respectively, of R2 associated with g+. These results show that while QACs are moderately effective against non-fungal plant pathogens, the observed variability in their efficacy due to dose of active ingredient and contact time of these products can be influenced by organism type, genus within organism type, the target being treated, and the generation of QAC products.

Metagenomic insights into the effects of benzyl dodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (BDAB) shock on bacteria-driven nitrogen removal in a moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR)

The use of disinfectants made from quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) has greatly increased since the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. However, the effect of QACs on wastewater treatment performance is still unclear. In this study, a commonly used QAC, i.e., benzyl dodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (BDAB), was added to a moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) to investigate BDAB's effect on nutrient removal. When the BDAB concentration was increased to 50 mg L−1, the ammonia removal efficiency (ARE) greatly decreased, as did the nitrate production rate constants (NPR). This inhibition was partly recovered by decreasing the BDAB concentration to 30 mg L−1. Metagenomic sequencing revealed the functional genera present during different stages of the control (Rc) and BDAB-added reactors (Re). The enriched genera (Rudaea, Nitrosospira, Sphingomonas, and Rhodanobacter) in Rc mainly related to the nitrogen metabolism, while the enriched genera in Re was BDAB-concentration dependent. Functional genes analysis suggested that a lack of ammonia oxidase-encoding genes (amoABC) may have caused a decrease in ARE in Re, while the efflux pump-encoding genes emrE, mdfA, and oprM and a gene encoding BAC oxygenase (oxyBAC) were responsible for BDAB resistance. The increase in the total abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in Re revealed a potential risk arising from BDAB. Overall, this study revealed the potential effect and ecological risks of BDAB introduction in WWTPs.

Quaternary ammonium compounds in hypersensitivity reactions.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) are commonly used disinfectants, antiseptics, preservatives, and detergents due to their antibacterial property and represent the first used biocides before phenolic or nitrogen products. Their common structure consists of one or more quaternary ammonium bound with four lateral substituents. Their amphiphilic structure allows them to intercalate into microorganism surfaces which induces an unstable and porous membrane that explains their antimicrobial activity towards bacteria, fungi, and viruses. QAC are thus found in many areas, such as household products, medicines, hygiene products, cosmetics, agriculture, or industrial products but are also used in medical practice as disinfectants and antiseptics and in health care facilities where they are used for cleaning floors and walls. QAC exposure has already been involved in occupational asthma in healthcare workers or professional cleaners by many authors. They also have been suggested to play a role in contact dermatitis (CD) and urticaria in workers using cosmetics such as hairdressers or healthcare workers, inciting reglementary agencies to make recommendations regarding those products. However, distinguishing the irritant or sensitizing properties of chemicals is complex and as a result, the sensitizing property of QAC is still controverted. Moreover, the precise mechanisms underlying the possible sensitization effect are still under investigation, and to date, only a few studies have documented an immunological mechanism. Besides, QAC have been suggested to be responsible for neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) sensitization by cross-reactivity. This hypothesis is supported by a higher prevalence of quaternary ammonium (QA)-specific IgE in the professionally exposed populations, such as hairdressers, cleaners, or healthcare workers, suggesting that the sensitization happens with structurally similar compounds present in the environment. This review summarizes the newest knowledge about QAC and their role in hypersensitivities. After describing the different QAC, their structure and use, the most relevant studies about the effects of QAC on the immune system will be reviewed and discussed.

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.

Synergistic effects of quaternary ammonium compounds and food additive grade calcium hydroxide on microbicidal activities at low temperatures.

The microbicidal activities of mixtures of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) and food additive grade calcium hydroxide (FdCa(OH)2) were evaluated in a suspension test at −20°C using an anti-freeze agent (AFA) containing methanol, or at 1°C, with varying contact time, toward avian influenza virus (AIV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), fowl adenovirus (FAdV), avian reovirus (ARV), Salmonella Infantis (SI) and Escherichia coli (EC). At −20°C, the mixtures could inactivate AIV and NDV within 30 min, FAdV and ARV within 5 sec, and SI and EC within 3 min, respectively. AFA did not inactivate viruses and bacteria within 30 min and 10 min, respectively. At 1°C, the mixtures inactivated FAdV and ARV within 30 sec, AIV within 10 min, and NDV within 30 min. A mixture of slaked lime (SL) and QAC could inactivate FAdV and ARV within 30 sec, but could not inactivate AIV and NDV even after 60 min at 1°C. SL could not substitute FdCa(OH)2 in order to exert the synergistic effects with QAC. Thus, QACs microbicidal activities were maintained or enhanced by adding FdCa(OH)2. It is hence recommended to use QACs with FdCa(OH)2, especially in the winter season.

Effect of quaternary ammonium compounds on microbial contamination levels in dental clinics

Effect of quaternary ammonium compounds on microbial contamination levels in dental clinics

Phytotoxicity and oxidative effects of typical quaternary ammonium compounds on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings.

The large-scale use of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in medicines or disinfectants can lead to their release into the environment, posing a potential risk to organisms. This study examined the effects of three typical QACs, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (DBAC), and didodecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), on hydroponically cultured wheat seedlings. After 14days of exposure, both hormesis and phytotoxicity were observed in the wheat seedlings. The shoot and root fresh weight gradually increased as QAC concentrations rose from 0.05 to 0.8mgL-1. However, higher QAC concentrations severely inhibited plant growth by decreasing shoot and root fresh weight, total root length, and photosynthetic pigment content. Moreover, the increase in malondialdehyde and O2.- contents, as well as root membrane permeability, reflected an oxidative burst and membrane lipid peroxidation caused by QACs. However, the effects of QACs on the levels of these oxidative stress markers were compound-specific, and the changes in superoxide dismutase, peroxidases, and catalase activity were partly related to reactive oxygen species levels. Considering the order of median effective concentration values (EC50) and the levels of oxidative stress induced by the three tested QACs, their phytotoxicities in wheat seedlings increased in the following order: DDAC < DTAC < DBAC, which mainly depended on their characteristics and applied concentrations. These results, which illustrated the complexity of QAC toxicity to plants, could potentially be used to assess the risk posed by these compounds in the environment.

Boron fixation effect of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) on sodium fluoroborate (NaBF4)-treated wood

AbstractAiming at a better leaching resistance of borate-treated wood, the quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) and benzalkonium chloride (BAC) were reacted with sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF4). The anti-fungal properties of the resulting didecyl dimethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (DBF) and benzalkonium tetrafluoroborate (BBF) were tested by the Petri dish method. Poplar (Populus tomentosaCarr.) and Southern pine (Pinusspp.) blocks were treated through a two-step method at three molar ratios of NaBF4to the QACs. The retentions of the reactive components were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission (ICP-AE) spectroscopy and the distribution of boron in wood was observed by scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray analyses (SEM-EDXA). Fourteen-day leaching and water absorption tests were also performed. DBF and BBF both exhibited moderate fungicidal activity againstTrametes versicolorandGloeophyllum trabeumin Petri dishes. The boron remaining in samples after leaching increased with increasing QACs concentration in the second step impregnation. SEM-EDXA showed no obvious morphological changes in the wood surface and DBF and BBF were only found in the cell walls. The water absorption of the treated samples were lower than the controls.

Quaternary ammonium cationic surfactants increase bioactivity of indoxacarb on pests and toxicological risk to Daphnia magna

Agricultural researchers have always been pursuing synergistic technique for pest control. To evaluate the combined effects of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) and indoxacarb, their independent and joint toxicities to two insects, Spodoptera exigua and Agrotis ipsilon, and the aquatic organism, Daphnia magna, were determined. Results showed that all of five tested QACs increased the toxicity of indoxacarb to S. exigua and A. ipsilon. Both of benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride (TDBAC) and benzododecinium chloride (DDBAC) exhibited significantly increased toxicities to S. exigua with synergic ratios of 11.59 and 6.55, while that to A. ipsilon were 2.60 and 3.45, respectively. When exposed to binary mixtures of QACs and indoxacarb, there was synergism on D. magna when using additive index and concentration addition methods, but only TDBAC, STAC and ODDAC showed synergistic effect in the equivalent curve method. The results indicate that the surfactants can be used as the synergists of indoxacarb in the control of Lepidoptera pests. However, their environmental risks should not be neglected owing to the high toxicity of all mixtures of indoxacarb and five QACs to D. magna.

Complete Genome Sequence of Campylobacter jejuni RM1246-ERRC, Which Exhibits Resistance to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds.

ABSTRACTCampylobacter jejuni strain RM1246-ERRC is a clinical isolate. In laboratory experiments, RM1246-ERRC exhibited greater resistance to the antimicrobial effects of quaternary ammonium compounds than other C. jejuni strains. The chromosome of RM1246-ERRC is 1,659,694 bp with a G+C content of 30.56%. The strain also possesses a 45,197-bp plasmid.

The effect of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds on the attachment of wild and adapted Pseudomonas putida strains to different contact materials used in the food sector

In this study, the attachment of Pseudomonas putida strains (wild type and adapted to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) to different surface materials frequently used in food processing was evaluated. In addition to surface studies, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) imaging was performed in order to image and assess deformation, localization and attachment on the subcellular scale. Results showed that the adapted cells displayed higher adherence to the stainless steel. In addition, QACs treatment of surfaces promoted cell attachment. The results stated that the maximum cell attachment occurred on stainless steel surface with a rough surface property followed by PVC, while the cells adhered poorly to tile surface. In the case of PVC, despite having a low Ra value, high attachment level was observed. The high adhesion level of P. putida to PVC could be related to the sudden surface irregularities available on the surface area responsible for the entrapment of the bacteria. However, it should be noted that not only roughness, but also other factors including cell and contact material hydrophobicity are considered to be influential physicochemical parameters, controlling adhesion and detachment from surfaces. For example, a significantly lower bacterial attachment was observed in resin flooring with similar roughness value to stainless steel (P < 0.05). From thermodynamic point of view, resin was considered hydrophobic, while pseudomonas strains possessed hydrophilic properties. However, in the case of tile surface with hydrophilic characteristics, it is presumed that roughness property played a major role in cell attachment. AFM studies showed that in stainless steel and PVC, bacteria mostly deformed in order to be positioned in holes and crevice. Therefore, the entrapped cells could not be easily removed by washing. In contrast, in the case of tile, bacteria kept their normal shape and were spread out of surface. Therefore, they could be easily released after washing. Therefore, selection of proper construction materials and sanitation strategy plays an important role in relation to the risk of chemical/microbial contamination in different processing zones in food plants.

Antimicrobial and antiplasmodial activities of a quaternary compound from &lt;i&gt;Ritchiea capparoides&lt;/i&gt; var. &lt;i&gt;Longipedicellata&lt;/i&gt;

The leaves of Ritchiea capparoides var. longipedicellata (Capparidaceae) is used in ethnomedicine in South-Western Nigeria to treat infectious and parasitic diseases. This study was aimed at identifying the compound(s) that are responsible for the antimicrobial and antiplasmodial activities of the leaves and also to contribute to the chemistry of the plant species. A 70 % aqueous ethanolic extract of the leaves of R. longipedicellata was subjected to repeated liquid chromatographic methods on silica gel, Lobar RP-18 column and Sephadex LH-20 to isolate a Draggendorf positive compound. The compound was identified by (1)H and (13)C NMR, ultra-violet spectroscopy and polarimetry. The antimicrobial activity of the compound was evaluated using the microbroth dilution method while the antiplasmodial activity was carried out according to Trager and Jenson (1976). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was expressed in mg/ml. The isolated compound, leavoisomer of stachydrine, inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli NCTC 8196 and Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 6571 at the MIC of 5 mg/ml. In the anti-malaria assay, the compound had inhibitory activity with the concentration required to cause 100% lethality being 0.667 mg/ml. The antibacterial and antiparasitic effects of quaternary ammonium compounds are well documented. However, this study is the first report of the presence and biological activities of this compound in this plant species which may justify the ethnomedicinal uses of the leaves.

Morphological Effects of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds on Staphylococcal Biofilms

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, July 29 – August 2, 2012.

Effect of higher minimum inhibitory concentrations of quaternary ammonium compounds in clinical E. coli isolates on antibiotic susceptibilities and clinical outcomes

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are cationic surfactants used as preservatives and environmental disinfectants. Limited data are available regarding the effect of QACs in the clinical setting. We performed a prospective cohort study in 153 patients with Escherichia coli bacteraemia from February to September 2008 at University Hospital in Rennes. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics and QACs alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC) and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) were determined by the agar dilution method. The capacity of biofilm production was assayed using the Crystal Violet method, and mutation frequencies by measuring the capacity of strains to generate resistance to rifampicin. Logistic regression analysis showed that one of the significant factors related to low MICs for ADBAC (≤16 mg/L) and DDAC (≤8 mg/L), was cotrimoxazole susceptibility (odds ratio: 3.72; 95% confidence interval: 1.22-11.24; P=0.02 and OR: 3.61; 95% CI: 1.56-7.56; P<0.01, respectively). Antibiotic susceptibility to cotrimoxazole was strongly associated with susceptibility to amoxicillin and nalidixic acid (P<0.01). Community-acquired or healthcare-associated bacteraemia, severity of bacteraemia, and patient outcome were independent of the MICs of ADBAC and DDAC. Our findings demonstrate an epidemiological relationship between higher MIC values of QACs in clinical E. coli isolates and antibiotic resistance.

Potentiation of acetylcholinesterase by a series of quaternary ammonium compounds.

Abstract Eleven spiran, and two non-spiran, quaternary ammonium compounds have been examined and some of these compounds found to potentiate the hydrolysis of acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase at high substrate concentrations. The experiments were made in three reaction media, each differing in its ionic composition. The results obtained in these media differ both quantitatively and qualitatively. The mechanism of the potentiation is discussed in terms of the effect of quaternary ammonium compounds on the deacetylation step of acetylcholine hydrolysis.

Effect of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds on the Electrodeposition of ZnCo Alloys from Alkaline Gluconate Baths

The effect of quaternary ammonium compounds on the electrodeposition of alloys from an alkaline chloride-gluconate electrolyte was studied. A thermodynamic analysis was performed which indicated that should be the predominant zinc species, whereas for cobalt the mixed hydroxy-gluconate complexes and are expected to be prevalent. The electrodeposition of the alloy from this alkaline medium was found to be anomalous, but increasing the cobalt content in the bath caused the cobalt content in the deposit to increase. The effects of three quaternary ammonium compounds, -benzyl-3-carboxylpyridinium chloride (3NCP), -benzyl-triethylammonium chloride, and tetraethylammonium hydroxide, on the electrochemical behavior of deposition were studied. The incorporation of these additives in the electrolytes modified the composition, morphology, and crystallographic structure of the -alloy deposits. Cyclic voltammetry indicated the formation of several alloy phases as cobalt was added to these zinc baths. 3NCP had the greatest impact on the process, limiting the Co content and changing the structure of the deposit.