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Stearalkonium Chloride

  • Cationic surfactants
  • CAS 122-19-0
  • IUPAC: Benzyldimethyl(octadecyl)ammonium chloride

Stearalkonium Chloride (CAS 122-19-0) appears in 1 of the 2,122 car-care products CarCareTruth tracks (as of August 2026).

May cause eye and skin irritation at high concentrations. Some quats are skin sensitizers — sensitization risk is dose-dependent. Used at sub-1% in most consumer products. Pure substance can be corrosive; in-product use at <3% is classified as irritant, not corrosive.

Stearalkonium chloride (CAS 122-19-0) is a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant — the "stearyl" (C18) analog of benzalkonium chloride. The full chemical name is benzyldimethyl(octadecyl)ammonium chloride. In rinseless and waterless wash formulas it functions as a substantive surfactant: the positively-charged head group binds lightly to the slightly-negative paint surface, leaving behind a thin antistatic layer that helps repel airborne dust.

At typical in-product concentrations of 0.5–3% in the concentrate, no Cat-1 H-codes apply at the mixture level (no corrosion, no respiratory sensitization). Cationic surfactants in this family do contribute to aquatic toxicity at concentrate strength — biodegradability is moderate (not "readily biodegradable" per OECD 301, but does break down through adsorption to wastewater-treatment biomass). At the 1:256 working dilution typical of rinseless wash, the in-bucket concentration is well below aquatic toxicity thresholds.

Health & environment profile

VOC
no
Prop 65 listed
no
Asthmagen
no
EPA Safer Choice
no
Aquatic toxicity
yes
Biodegradable
no
Bioaccumulative
no
Persistent
yes
Ozone depleting
no
Microplastic
no
PFAS
no
Env. score
4/5
Purpose: Quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant — antistatic agent and substantive conditioner used in cleaning, hair-care, and rinseless-wash formulas

Common questions about Stearalkonium Chloride

What is Stearalkonium Chloride used for in car care?
Quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant — antistatic agent and substantive conditioner used in cleaning, hair-care, and rinseless-wash formulas
Is Stearalkonium Chloride a VOC?
No. Stearalkonium Chloride is not classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC).
Is Stearalkonium Chloride on California's Proposition 65 list?
No. Stearalkonium Chloride is not on California's Proposition 65 list.

1 product contain this

Related

Health and environment notes translate the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet, the GHS classification, and authoritative regulatory listings (California Prop 65, EPA). Not medical advice. They describe the ingredient itself; whether a hazard applies to a finished product depends on its concentration and how it's used.