A comprehensive hand hygiene program is essential for preventing the spread of pathogens in your institution.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests using alcohol-based or Benzalkonium Chloride hand sanitizer in the absence of soap and water.
Hand sanitizers help lower the number of germs fast when soap and water are unavailable or in particular settings, such as after touching a door handle or other high-touch surfaces where the danger of germs is higher.
When picking a hand sanitizer, it is essential to be aware that there are several sorts, but not all are safe.
Effective hand sanitizers are based on alcohol or Benzalkonium Chloride, however, during the Coronavirus epidemic, manufacturers switched authorized active components with toxic alcohols, creating a dangerous situation for you and the others in your building.
What Are The Many Varieties Of Hand Sanitizer?
The Food and Medicine Administration (FDA) must approve hand sanitizers for use as an over-the-counter drug.
The FDA has allowed the use of two active components in hand sanitizers: alcohol and Benzalkonium Chloride (often referred to as BZK or BAC).
Visit the FDA’s Hand Sanitizer Do-Not-Use List if you are unsure if the sanitizer you are presently using has been authorized or if you would want to learn more about approved sanitizers. If your hand sanitizer is on the list, it is deemed unsafe for use.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are by far the most common, however, BZK/BAC hand sanitizers are on the rise.
The effectiveness of alcohol-based and Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK/BAC) hand sanitizers is the same.
BZK sanitizers are effective without a particular percentage of active components and have not been proven to contain pollutants, unlike alcohol-based sanitizers.
Hand sanitizers containing alcohol should contain at least 60% alcohol. Hand sanitizers containing less than 60% alcohol are ineffective in killing germs.
As previously stated, there are several kinds of alcohol used in hand sanitizer, not all of which are safe or efficient.
Alcohol-Based Sanitizers That Can Be Used Without Risk
The FDA accepts just two forms of alcohol as active components in alcohol-based hand sanitizers: ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol or 2-propanol).
Ethanol is the most prevalent alcohol found in hand sanitizers.
Ethanol is sometimes termed ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol. The only alcohol that is safe to consume is ethanol.
It is harmless to the skin and should have no negative health consequences.
Isopropyl Alcohol
The second most frequent alcohol used in hand sanitizer is isopropyl. It is also known as 2-Propanol and isopropanol.
You may be familiar with this alcoholic beverage. Additionally, isopropyl alcohol is an active component of rubbing alcohol.
It is permissible to use isopropyl alcohol on the skin, but it should not be ingested.
Which alcohol-based hand sanitizers should not be used?
Methanol and 1-propanol are not allowed components in hand sanitizer, per the FDA and CDC. They can be extremely lethal to humans.
Methanol
Methanol or methyl alcohol, often known as wood alcohol, is extremely poisonous and should not be included in hand sanitizer.
To determine its toxicity, consider that it is a frequent element in rocket fuel and antifreeze.
Methanol should never be applied to the skin or ingested. Similar to other alcohols, it is rapidly absorbed via the skin.
Consuming, drinking, or using methanol-contaminated hand sanitizers can cause severe health issues, including irreversible blindness and death.
1-Propanol
Another hazardous alcohol present in hand sanitizer is 1-propanol. It is utilized less commonly than methanol, although it remains hazardous.
This alcohol is also used to create paint and degreasing fluid.
Using or drinking a hand sanitizer containing 1-propanol can result in slowed breathing and heart rate, as well as other significant symptoms, and can be fatal. It can also cause significant skin and eye irritation. Shop Medescan products online such as sanitizer, thermometer, baby care products, etc.
