Novel quaternary ammonium compound-free antibacterial additives for surface disinfection

Overview

This technology introduces new water-soluble antibacterial additives designed to replace conventional quaternary ammonium compound (QAC)-based disinfectants. The formulations are synthesized in a single step from low-cost, commercially available starting materials, making them practical for scale-up and commercial adoption. They have demonstrated low toxicity toward human cells (HEK293) while remaining highly effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria, including drug-resistant superbugs, at concentrations as low as 1 to 50 micromolar. The killing mechanism is believed to rely on hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions with bacterial cell surfaces, disrupting membrane integrity without relying on traditional QAC chemistry.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• One-step synthesis from commercially available, low-cost raw materials
• Water-soluble formulations tunable for surface disinfection applications
• Effective against gram-positive bacteria such as S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and gram-negative bacteria including E. coli, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae
• Active at submicromolar to low micromolar concentrations (1–50 µmol/L)
• Low cytotoxicity toward human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293)
• Proposed mechanism based on hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions with bacterial membranes

Validation performed:

• 10⁵ bacterial cells exposed to two-fold serial dilutions of each additive in 96-well plates
• Incubated at physiological temperature for 24 hours
• Assays performed in three independent replicates

Planned validation:

• Physicochemical characterization to optimize additive properties
• Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) assays using broth microdilution with bacteria inoculated at 10⁶ CFU/mL and incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours
• Bacterial killing experiments involving serial dilutions of overnight cultures

Technology readiness level

The additives have been validated in laboratory assays demonstrating efficacy against multiple bacterial strains at very low concentrations. Cytocompatibility testing with HEK293 cells has shown non-toxic behavior at effective doses. Future work includes further physicochemical optimization and expanded in vitro efficacy testing through MIC and bacterial killing assays. The technology is positioned for collaborative development toward formulation, scale-up, and application-specific validation for surface disinfection products.