Editing Quaternary ammonium cation (section)

===Possible reproductive effects in laboratory animals===
Quaternary ammonium-based disinfectants (Virex and Quatricide) were tentatively identified as the most probable cause of jumps in birth defects and fertility problems in caged lab mice. The quat ingredients in the disinfectants include [[alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride]] (ADBAC) and [[Didecyldimethylammonium chloride|didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride]] (DDAC).<ref name="mice">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hunt P | title = Lab disinfectant harms mouse fertility. Patricia Hunt interviewed by Brendan Maher | journal = Nature | volume = 453 | issue = 7198 | pages = 964 | date = June 2008 | pmid = 18563110 | doi = 10.1038/453964a | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Melin VE, Potineni H, Hunt P, Griswold J, Siems B, Werre SR, Hrubec TC | title = Exposure to common quaternary ammonium disinfectants decreases fertility in mice | journal = Reproductive Toxicology | volume = 50 | pages = 163–170 | date = December 2014 | pmid = 25483128 | pmc = 4260154 | doi = 10.1016/j.reprotox.2014.07.071 | bibcode = 2014RepTx..50..163M }}</ref> A similar link was tentatively identified in nurses.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gaskins AJ, Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Missmer SA, Laden F, Henn SA, Lawson CC | title = Occupational use of high-level disinfectants and fecundity among nurses | journal = Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health | volume = 43 | issue = 2 | pages = 171–180 | date = March 2017 | pmid = 28125764 | pmc = 5840865 | doi = 10.5271/sjweh.3623 }}</ref> The studies contradict earlier toxicology data reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the EU Commission.<ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = ((Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, US EPA)) |title=Reregistration Eligibility Decision for Aliphatic Alkyl Quaternaries (DDAC)|journal=Epa739-R-06-008|date=August 2006}}</ref>