A Hydrolyzable Quaternary Ammonium Bactericide with Charge-Shielding-Assisted Detoxification

Abstract

Hydrolysable Quaternary Ammonium analogues (Cn-N-R) are developed, offering potent, broad-spectrum bactericidal efficacy comparable to commercially available cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). Upon hydrolysis, the generated carboxylate shields residual charge, greatly reducing cytotoxicity and biotoxicity, enabling safe use on diverse surfaces.