Objective   To study general to xicity, hereditary toxicity and mutagenicity of quaternary ammonium compound detergent.

  Methods   According to the People's Republic of China standards Procedures and methods for toxicological assessment on food safety.

  Results   The LD ₅₀ of quaternary ammonium compound detergent was 4 300 mg/kg·bw.And there had no significant difference between the experimental groups and the control group in accumulative toxicity test, Ames test, micronucleus test and chromosome aber ration test of bone marrow cell etc.In case of sperm shape abnormality test, the rate of abnormal sperm seemed to betwice that of the control group.In 30 days feeding test, there had no dramatically change between the experimental groups and the control group when the indices were the body weight, blood regular test, CH, Bun and Gluin serum etc.But the ACT in serum were higher than that of the control group(P < 0.05).The histopathology test showed that quaternary ammonium compound detergent was harmful to the liver and testis tissues.

  Conclusion   Quaternary ammonium compound detergent was a kind of lower toxic substance.It was toxic to liver and testis and had hereditary toxicity to mice, which should be noticeable.