BKC 80 (Benzalkonium Chloride 80%) is a high-purity quaternary ammonium compound (quat) used as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, preservative, and surfactant in personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial cleaning formulations. As an aqueous solution (5% solution pH 6.0–8.0), BKC 80 delivers potent bactericidal, fungicidal, and algicidal activity at low usage concentrations — making it one of the most effective and widely used antimicrobial agents in the personal care and surface disinfection industries.
Applications:
- Personal Care Preservation (antimicrobial preservative in shampoos, conditioners, body washes)
- Wound Care & Antiseptics (topical antiseptic formulations, wound cleaning solutions)
- Surface Disinfection (hospital-grade disinfectants, sanitisers, antimicrobial cleaning products)
- Ophthalmic Products (eye drop preservative at very low concentrations)
Key Features & Benefits:
- Aqueous solution, 5% pH 6.0–8.0 – stable, high-purity BKC formulation
- Broad-spectrum bactericidal, fungicidal, and algicidal activity
- Effective at very low usage concentrations in personal care formulations
- Widely accepted preservative in personal care regulatory frameworks
- Suitable for personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications
What BKC 80 is
Benzalkonium chloride is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, mainly with C12 and C14 chains. It is a cationic surfactant with strong antimicrobial activity. Grades are named by their active content, so “BKC 80” normally refers to an 80% active solution; confirm the active content and chain distribution on the certificate rather than relying on the name.
Compatibility
Because it is cationic, benzalkonium chloride is inactivated by anionic surfactants such as SLES and soaps, and by some anionic polymers. It works best in non-ionic or cationic systems. It can be used together with chelating agents such as EDTA, which can improve preservative performance.
Regulation and safety
In cosmetics, benzalkonium chloride is a regulated preservative with concentration limits and label warnings under the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive. Disinfectant, sanitiser and antiseptic products fall under separate rules, and ophthalmic and wound-care uses are medicines. The concentrate is corrosive and harmful; handle it with gloves and eye protection and follow the SDS.
What to ask for on the certificate of analysis
- Active content (%) by titration, with the method
- Alkyl chain distribution (C12, C14, C16)
- pH of a stated dilution and appearance
- Batch number, manufacture and retest dates; safety data sheet (SDS)
