Effectiveness of Hand Sanitizer

Although the chemical components of hand sanitizers have been known to have germicidal properties for several decades, a recent classroom experiment has caused widespread concern over the safety and claims of sanitizers. Official studies by government institutions show that many hand sanitizers do not live up to some of the loftier claims.

Identification

• Hand sanitizers are not the same as soap, although they perform much the same function, claims hand sanitizer producer Purell. Purell states that one should wash hands first and then apply a sanitizer gel, but many simply choose to only use the sanitizer gel. Instead of using a lye and water solution, most hand sanitizers use ethyl alcohol to kill germs.

Effectiveness

• The Centers for Disease Control acknowledges that hand sanitizers do kill most germs. Alcohol enters the cells of bacteria and weakens the structure of proteins and enzymes, effectively killing germs. Hydrogen bonds between amino acids, essential building blocks of protein and DNA, are intercepted by alcohol compounds. Instead of forming a bond between a protein and an amino acid, alcohol forces a hydrogen bond between itself and the protein, according to Elm Hurst College's "Virtual Chemistry Book."

Concentration

• The effectiveness of a hand sanitizer depends highly on the concentration of ethyl alcohol, reports the CDC. For years, science has known that only certain concentrations of alcohol kill germs. Recent concerns about the safety of sanitizers led the CDC to perform a study reinforcing the belief of a minimum concentration of at least 60 percent ethyl alcohol to kill bacteria. The CDC study compared tap water and a 40 percent ethanol gel and found that both were ineffective at killing germs.

Considerations

• The CDC found that many commercial sanitizers and home recipes use less than the recommended minimum of 60 percent ethyl alcohol. In addition to testing, the CDC also inspected hand sanitizers at several major chains for alcohol content. What they found was a higher incidence of low grade sanitizer at discount chains.

Warning

• Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN reports that a potential danger from hand sanitizers to children does exist. Because hand sanitizer gel can provide the same kind of pleasing intoxication as alcoholic beverages, it can be ingested to purposely become drunk. Small children could also ingest sanitizer and develop alcohol poisoning. A small bottle of sanitizer can contain up to the equivalent of four shots of liquor.