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Medical Definition of Benzalkonium chloride
1. A mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides in which the alkyls are long-chain compounds (C8 to C18); a surface-active germicide for many pathogenic nonsporulating bacteria and fungi. Aqueous solutions of this agent have a low surface tension, and possess detergent, keratolytic, and emulsifying properties that aid the penetration and wetting of tissue surfaces. (05 Mar 2000)