abstract |
A method of controlling the fouling potential of macroinvertebrates, such as mollusks, in aqueous systems which comprises adding to the system an effective controlling amount of a water-soluble quaternary ammonium salt having the following structure: <IMAGE> wherein R1 is an alkyl group having about 6 to 24 carbons; R2 is an alkyl, aryl or arylalkyl group having about 6 to 24 carbons; R3 and R4 are alkyl groups having about 1 to 4 carbons; and X is chloride, bromide, sulfate, bisulfate, nitrate or acetate. Preferably, the quaternary ammonium salt is water-soluble alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride having an alkyl chain length from C6 to C24 and, most preferably, it has an alkyl distribution of about 40% C12, 50% C14 and 10% C16. |