US Patent No.: 11,547,680, titled “Benzalkonium-embedded mesostructured silica compositions and uses of same” was issued on January 10, 2023 to Professor Tewodros (Teddy) Asefa and his former doctoral student Dr. Viktor Dubovoy; his MSc student Anjani Ganti; and his collaborator Prof. Jeffrey M. Boyd (Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology at Rutgers at New Brunswick). The invention in the patent is on novel mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) templated around and comprising the antimicrobial agent benzalkonium chloride (BAC). The mesoporous nanoparticles are capable of sustained release of BAC under acidic conditions, thereby acting as a long release antimicrobial agent. The nanoparticles have the potential to be incorporated into a variety of products as an antimicrobial agent additive in surgical dressings, bandages, deodorants, soaps, facial cleansers and industrial cleaners.