Understand the safety, benefits, and concerns behind the ingredients in your favorite products.
Consumers can submit products through the app 28271000
Understand the safety, benefits, and concerns behind the ingredients in your favorite products.
HOME / INGREDIENTS / Diethyl ester dimethyl ammonium chloride
DIETHYL ESTER DIMETHYL AMMONIUM CHLORIDE
See how this product scores for common concerns.
Evidence of respiratory effects; developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects; acute aquatic toxicity
A structurally similar compound is know to be an asthmagen (sensitizing).
2020. Environmental Working Group. 2020. Quaternary ammonium compounds structural similarities.
European Union Ecolabel program data shows this substance has high acute toxicity to aquatic life
EU Ecolabel: Detergents Ingredients Database
A peer-reviewed publication reports some quaternary ammonium compounds cause reproductive toxicity in animals.
Vanessa E. Melin, Travis E. Melin, Brian J. Dessify, Christina T. Nguyen, Caroline S. Shea & Terry C. Hrubec. 2015. Quaternary Ammonium Disinfectants Cause Subfertility in Mice by Targeting both Male and Female Reproductive Processes. Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.).
A peer-reviewed publication reports some quaternary ammonium compounds cause reproductive toxicity in animals.
Vanessa E. Melin, Haritha Potineni, Patricia Hunt, Jodi Griswold, Bill Siems, Stephen R. Werre & Terry C. Hrubec. 2014. Exposure to common quaternary ammonium disinfectants decreases fertility in mice. Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 50, 163-70.
Quaternary ammonium compounds detected in human blood was associated with increased inflammation, decreased mitochondrial function and disruption of cholesterol.
Terry C. Hrubec, Ryan P. Seguin, Libin Xu, Gino A. Cortopassi, Sandipan Datta, Alexandra L. Hanlon, Alicia J. Lozano, Valerie A. McDonald, Claire A. Healy, Tyler C. Anderson, Najaha A. Musse & Richard T. Williams. 2021. Altered toxicological endpoints in humans from common quaternary ammonium compound disinfectant exposure. Toxicology reports 8, 646-656.
This substance impacted cholesterol biosynthesis.
Josi Herron, Rosalyn C. Reese, Keri A. Tallman, Rohini Narayanaswamy, Ned A. Porter & Libin Xu. 2016. Identification of Environmental Quaternary Ammonium Compounds as Direct Inhibitors of Cholesterol Biosynthesis. Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 151(2), 261-70.
Quaternary ammonium compounds altered neurodevelopment in cells.
Josi M. Herron, Hideaki Tomita, Collin C. White, Terrance J. Kavanagh & Libin Xu. 2021. Benzalkonium Chloride Disinfectants Induce Apoptosis, Inhibit Proliferation, and Activate the Integrated Stress Response in a 3-D in Vitro Model of Neurodevelopment. Chemical research in toxicology 34(5), 1265-1274.
The European Union Ecolabel program reports this substance is readily biodegradable.
EU Ecolabel: Detergents Ingredients Database
The European Union Ecolabel program reports this substance is anaerobically degradable.
EU Ecolabel: Detergents Ingredients Database
EWG provides information on cleaning product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any.
The Healthy Cleaning ingredient hazard score, from A to F, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.
A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.
Find personal care, cleaning, and food products on the EWG Healthy Living app.
Find personal care, cleaning, and food products on the EWG Healthy Living app.
nh4cl nfpa EWG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, EIN 52-2148600. Copyright © 2025. Environmental Working Group. All Rights Reserved.