Exploring the Impact of Cleaners on the Health of Fresh Water

Here at IISD Experimental Lakes Area, scientists are undertaking a large collaborative study to investigate the impact of a commonly used class of chemicals in disinfectants called quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) on fresh water.

QACs are a group of human-made cationic surfactants that contain a quaternary ammonium ion. Examples include hand sanitizer, cleaning sprays, surface wipes, and pretty much any product adorned with “kills 99.9% of germs.”

Even though QACs are widely used, not much is known about their effects on fresh water and its inhabiting organisms. Though we know that the chemical composition of QACs makes them great at disinfecting, we still don’t fully understand the extent of harm they pose to algae, bottom-dwelling invertebrates, fish, and even mammals.

As part of a 4-year whole ecosystem experiment, scientists at IISD-ELA are working in mesocosms—a kind of enclosure within a lake—to look at the impact of QACs, such as how they interact with species of the lower trophic levels of the food web and how they move through the water column and sediment. Biota—the plants and animals of the region—are also an area of investigation.