Due to the high demand of Hand sanitizer during the Covid-19 pandemic as new brands have been rushed onto the market the Food and Drug Administration has identified at least 77 products — including two this week — that consumers should avoid. Many of the products’ labels say they contain ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) but FDA tests show that they contain methanol, or wood alcohol.
Hand sanitizer use is recommended when soap and water are not available for hand washing or when repeated hand washing compromises the natural skin barrier. Depending on the active ingredient used, hand sanitizers can be classified as one of two types: Alcohol-based or alcohol-free.
Alcohol-based products typically contain between 60 and 95 percent alcohol. This type is usually in the form of ethanol, isopropanol, or n-propanol.
Alcohol-free products are generally based on disinfectants, such as benzalkonium chloride. Many hand sanitizers also contain emollients (e.g., glycerin) that soothe the skin, thickening agents, and fragrance.
Most health agencies including the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promote the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers over alcohol-free products. The use of alcohol-free products has remained limited, in part because of WHO’s and CDC’s focus on alcohol-based products but also because of the concerns about the safety of chemicals used in alcohol-free products. In summary there has been no independent research to suggest that it’s better than alcohol. Additionally, benzalkonium chloride might be harmful for some individuals, especially at higher concentrations, according to the Hazardous Substances Database. According to the CDC, hand sanitizer without alcohol may not kill as many germs and may only reduce the growth of germs rather than killing them outright.
AccuScience laboratories has developed a proprietary analytical method utilizing GCMS and HPLC to analyze hand sanitizers for identification and quantification of their chemical constituent. Please contact us for more information.
