Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...

Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacokinetics

Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacokinetics

Cholinergic antagonists—such as antimuscarinics—are available in oral, topical, ocular, parenteral, and inhalational formulations. Most antimuscarinics are oral formulations, while scopolamine is available as a topical patch, and ipratropium and tiotropium are available as inhalation aerosols or powders. Atropine, tropicamide, and cyclopentolate are topically instilled in the eye. Most antimuscarinics are lipid-soluble and readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and...

Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment

Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment

Anticholinesterases, also known as cholinesterase inhibitors, work by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine, leading to its accumulation in the synaptic cleft. This accumulation indirectly enhances both muscarinic and nicotinic actions. These agents are classified as reversible or irreversible based on their mechanism of action.
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is...

Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care

Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care

A healthcare provider can diagnose a urinary tract infection (UTI) through several methods:Medical History and Symptoms: The provider will take a detailed medical history and ask about symptoms such as frequent urination, burning sensation during urination, and lower abdominal pain.Urinalysis: A clean-catch urine sample is collected in a sterile container and tested for the presence of bacteria, white blood cells (leukocytes), nitrites, blood, and protein. The presence of leukocytes and...

Pharmacovigilance

Pharmacovigilance

Post-marketing surveillance is a critical component of pharmaceutical regulation, often uncovering unanticipated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) once a drug is widely used over an extended period.
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Perspectives on safety of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs).

Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part B, Critical reviews·2025

Same author

Evaluation of potential toxicity of smoke from controlled burns of furnished rooms - effect of flame retardancy.

Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A·2022

Same author

Comment on "Concentrations of Brominated Flame Retardants in Indoor Air and Dust from Ireland Reveal Elevated Exposure to Decabromodiphenyl Ethane".

Environmental science & technology·2020

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing Therapeutics to Treat Vibriosis in Humans and Aquatic Organisms

Author Spotlight: Advancing Therapeutics to Treat Vibriosis in Humans and Aquatic Organisms

Published on: May 31, 2024

Adverse Outcome Pathway for Antimicrobial Quaternary Ammonium Compounds.

T G Osimitz¹, W Droege¹

¹Science Strategies, LLC, Charlottesville, VA USA.

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A

|February 22, 2022

Summary

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) disrupt cell membranes and mitochondrial function, leading to cell death and inflammation in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. This study suggests using data-derived factors instead of default uncertainty factors for QAC risk assessments.

Keywords:

Adverse Outcome Pathway Data Derived Extrapolation Factors (DDEFs)quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs)risk assessment

More Related Videos

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases

Published on: January 1, 2016

Author Spotlight: Advancing Antimicrobial Resistance Research with Innovative Approaches and Synthetic Compounds

Author Spotlight: Advancing Antimicrobial Resistance Research with Innovative Approaches and Synthetic Compounds

Published on: September 27, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing Therapeutics to Treat Vibriosis in Humans and Aquatic Organisms

Author Spotlight: Advancing Therapeutics to Treat Vibriosis in Humans and Aquatic Organisms

Published on: May 31, 2024

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases

Published on: January 1, 2016

Author Spotlight: Advancing Antimicrobial Resistance Research with Innovative Approaches and Synthetic Compounds

Author Spotlight: Advancing Antimicrobial Resistance Research with Innovative Approaches and Synthetic Compounds

Published on: September 27, 2024

Area of Science:

Toxicology
Environmental Health
Cell Biology

Background:

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are widely used antimicrobials in household and industrial settings.
Applications include sanitizers, disinfectants, food processing, water treatment, and cosmetics.
Two common QACs, ADBAC and DDAC, are investigated for potential adverse health effects.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) for respiratory and gastrointestinal effects of ADBAC and DDAC.
To elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying QAC toxicity.
To inform risk assessment strategies for QACs.

Main Methods:

The study proposes a mechanism of action for QACs based on existing knowledge.
It focuses on cellular and tissue-level effects following inhalation or ingestion.
No new experimental data was generated; it's a pathway elucidation study.

Main Results:

QACs integrate into epithelial cell membranes, disrupting membrane fluidity and integrity.
Mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced ATP production are potential effects.
Cell death (lysis, necrosis, apoptosis), inflammation, edema, and mucus production occur.
Primary adverse outcome is epithelial degeneration and dysplasia.
QACs show no significant metabolism or distribution.

Conclusions:

A clear Adverse Outcome Pathway for QACs leading to tissue damage is proposed.
The mechanism involves direct cellular toxicity and inflammation.
The findings support replacing default Uncertainty Factors with Data Derived Extrapolation Factors in risk assessments for QACs.