Media reports that many alcohol-based hand sanitizers are substandard and contain potentially toxic ingredients prompted a study that was published earlier this month.
The researchers set out to identify hand sanitizers without the recommended alcohol concentration of at least 70% propanol or 60% ethanol, and those that contained toxic ingredients.
The researchers collected 94 samples of hand sanitizer from shops and street vendors between March and June 2020.
“While more (56%) brands of hand sanitizer in this study contained the recommended concentration of alcohol, there were also many (44%) substandard and possibly subpotent preparations,” the study found.
Researchers also established that some hand sanitizers contained toxic ingredients. “This is worrying because even if a hand sanitizer contains enough alcohol as recommended or contains ingredients that enhance its virucidal activity in case of low alcohol content … the presence of toxic ingredients renders the preparation harmful and unfit for human use,” they said.
“It is for this reason that it is recommended that all consumers (workplaces and the public in general) be aware of untrustworthy brands of hand sanitizer supplying substandard and possibly subpotent sanitizer preparations or sanitizers with toxic ingredients.”
“Unknowingly, using a hand sanitiser with no virucidal activity against SARS-CoV-2 may give one a false sense of security, while those using sanitisers containing toxic ingredients are likely to suffer from the associated risks,” according to the study.
“For example, exposure to methanol through both ingestion and transdermal absorption, if left untreated, can be extremely dangerous, leading to significant disability and death.
“Even if toxic substances are just traces, the typical frequent use of hand sanitizer products throughout the day can result in very high total exposure with consequent adverse health effects.”
Sources: Flipboard, Sowetan LIVE
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