Sodium Hypochlorite and its Environmental Impacts; Time to Switch for Herbal Alternatives

Abstract

Sanitizers are anti-microbial products in the form of spray, lotions, and creams. Sodium hypochlorite now plays an essential role in preserving hand cleanliness by denaturing microbial proteins by lysing the cell. These Sanitizers have also been used in medical, dental, and surgical treatments. If consumed, or through cutaneous or ocular exposure, sodium hypochlorite can be hazardous. When combined with acid it forms chlorine gas and when combined with basic solutions, chloramine is formed, both of which contribute to harmful consequences and it is an incredibly powerful oxidant. Furthermore, chlorination of drinking water with sodium hypochlorite oxidase organic pollutants, resulting in trihalomethanes, which are hazardous. It is critical for health care practitioners, particularly physicians, to understand the ways in which NaOCl can cause toxicity. The study of natural cures used to treat human sickness over millennia has laid the foundation for pharmaceutical development. The adaptation of alternative hand sanitizer formulations based on natural and herbal resources is one reasonable solution to address this toxicity problem. More extensive screens of indigenous plants with elevated flavonoids levels for antibacterial activities and the development of ecofriendly and efficient hand sanitizers should be conducted as contrast to artificial formulations.