Abstract
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CoViD-19), the World Health Organization has recommended that, in absence of soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used to prevent the transmission of coronaviruses. Unfortunately, many media and anecdotal reports indicate that many alcohol-based hand sanitizers sold in South Africa are substandard and some contain potentially toxic ingredients. The study aimed to identify hand sanitizers used in the Johannesburg area during the CoViD-19 pandemic that do not contain the recommended alcohol concentration of at least 70% propanol or 60% ethanol, and contain traces of toxic ingredients. Hand sanitizers randomly collected from various traders around Johannesburg were analyzed using Agilent auto sampler coupled to a gas chromatograph utilizing flame ionisation detection. Of the 94 hand sanitizer samples collected, three preparations contained no alcohol, whereas the rest contained either ethanol, 2-propanol or 1-propanol or a combination of two alcohols. Of the alcohol-containing hand sanitizers, 37 (41%) contained less than 60% alcohol. Ethyl acetate, isobutanol and other non-recommended alcohols (methanol and 3-methyl-butanol) were also identified. Consumers are therefore warned that among the many brands of hand sanitizers found around Johannesburg, there are some substandard preparations and some that contain traces of toxic ingredients.
Highlights
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CoViD-19), the World Health Organization has recommended that, in absence of soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used to prevent the transmission of coronaviruses
This sample set represents most of the hand sanitizer brands available and/or sold in retail stores, spaza shops and by individuals, that are in use in different households and various workplaces around Johannesburg during the CoViD-19 pandemic
Just like several other countries around the world, South Africa (SA) has relaxed legislation to make it easier for local businesses to rapidly produce alcohol-based hand sanitizers to meet the great surge in demand for hand sanitization products during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak
Summary
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CoViD-19), the World Health Organization has recommended that, in absence of soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used to prevent the transmission of coronaviruses. The study aimed to identify hand sanitizers used in the Johannesburg area during the CoViD-19 pandemic that do not contain the recommended alcohol concentration of at least 70% propanol or 60% ethanol, and contain traces of toxic ingredients. Since the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, CoViD-19 (coronavirus), it is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that, in absence of water, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers can prevent the transmission of coronavirus[6]. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are available in the form of rinses (liquid) and rubs (gel, foam and cream), and both are effective agents for reducing the number of viable pathogens, including coronavirus, on hands. Alcoholbased hand sanitizers may contain a variety of alcohols [e.g., isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol, 2-propanol), ethanol (ethyl alcohol), n-propanol (1-propanol)] or a combination of two of these, including other ingredients[11–14]
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