Hand hygiene is one of the most important methods in preventing the spread of disease. Hands can be host to an array of different bacteria and viruses every time you come in contact with something. Hand sanitizers are an excellent choice of sanitation when water and soap are not available. The University of Florida and the Centers forDisease Controlreport that isopropyl alcohol, ethanol and triclosan are three effective hand sanitizer ingredients.
Ethanol
Ethanol is also referred to as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol and it is characterized as a colorless and flammable liquid. It has widespread use in many industrial and medical applications including hand sanitizers and disinfectants. The American Society for Microbiology reports that alcohols destroy bacteria by causing membrane damage and denaturation of proteins. Ethanol also prevents the spread of microbes by interfering with cell metabolism and cell division. A study published in the BMC Infectious Diseases Journal tested the effect of ethanol-based hand sanitizers on bacteria. The results reported that ethanol was effective for hand disinfection against bacteria after 0 and 3 hours of application.
Isopropyl alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is also called isopropanol and is a colorless flammable liquid with a strong odor. Similar to ethanol, isopropyl is an alcohol that is effective at destroying bacteria. Alcohols such as isopropyl, are effective against mycobacteria, viruses and fungi, according to American Society for Microbiology. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol based hand sanitizers such as isopropyl alcohol are considered antiseptics. Antiseptics destroy harmful microorganisms that are associated with infections and not easily removed with water alone.
Triclosan
Triclosan is another commonly used antiseptic hand sanitizer ingredient. The CDC reports that triclosan is beneficial for removing or destroying all microorganisms and flora on skin surfaces. Antiseptics such as triclosan are efficient for hand sanitizing because they disinfect within 15 seconds. Triclosan is particularly good at destroying gram-positive bacteria, according to the American Society for Microbiology. The specific mode of action remains unknown to researchers, but triclosan has shown to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Tricolsan is often combined with alcohol-based disinfectants such as ethanol and isopropyl to significantly enhance its effects.
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