C. Coquelet et al., ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE AND A POLY(ACRYLIC ACID) GEL - STUDY BY MICROFILTRATION AND MEMBRANE DIALYSIS, Journal of membrane science, 120(2), 1996, pp. 287-293
Interactions between benzalkonium chloride (BAK) and the respective po
lymers, and the related availability of BAK in the corresponding solut
ion, were studied for aqueous preparations of hydroxyethylcellulose (H
EC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) (PAA).
The study was performed by means of a crossflow filtration process wi
th an alumina membrane. In the presence of the PAA gel, the rejection
rate of BAK is much higher than with HEC or PVA. These results can be
explained by the association of the benzalkonium cation BAK(+) with th
e negative carboxylate groups or the PAA. This effect: which was confi
rmed by dialysis experiments, leads to the trapping of BAK(+) inside t
he polymer network and could be of interest in the reduction of the ha
rmful effects of BAK observed in the treatment of eye diseases.