DCHAS-L Archives Apr 22 2010 - Re: Hand sanitizer

Would 3% hydrogen peroxide work as well as IPA as a disinfectant in microbiology but not so good as a hand sanitizer? It's another bathroom item and inexpensive/ Mary Ellen On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 8:52 AM, Erik A. Talley wr ote: > Purell contains mostly ethanol (~70%) with a small amount of IPA (~5%), > and I know of cases where people =93drink=94 it to become drunk. > > > > MSDS listing contents at: > > http://www.gojo.com/United-States/Brands/PURELL/MSDS.aspx > > > > > > Regards, > > > > Erik > > > > *From:* DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] *On Behalf > Of *Christopher Suznovich > *Sent:* Thursday, April 22, 2010 8:03 AM > > *To:* DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU > *Subject:* Re: [DCHAS-L] Hand sanitizer > > > > Actually hand sanitizers contain 90-99% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) which is > the active ingredient in rubbing alcohol because it works as a good > disinfectant. It is also the alcohol in the alcohol wipes and pads in fi rst > aid kits. Ethanol would not be used because of the possibility of peopl e > ingesting the gel to the ethanol and the possibility that any quantity of > ethanol may enter the blood stream through openings in the skin such as > cuts. > > Hand sanitizer is not meant to be wiped off. You are supposed to rub you r > hands together until the hand sanitizers is your hands are dry. > > The issue with hand sanitizers is somewhere to some, since they are a > disinfectant they are better than soap or should be used more often than > they should. Having typically 99% IPA is an issue because there are > bacteria that can live in high alcohol environments. When cleaning and > disinfecting microbiology labs and work areas, a solution of 70% IPA is u sed > because of that possibility. > > Regards, > > Chris > > ------------------------------ > > *From: *List Moderator > *Reply-To: *DCHAS-L Discussion List > *Date: *Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:47:38 -0400 > *To: * > *Subject: *Re: [DCHAS-L] Hand sanitizer > > From: "Ben Ruekberg" > Date: April 20, 2010 7:43:21 AM EDT > Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Hand sanitizer > > > these units bring the whole aspect of hand hygiene to the student's min d > > Thank you (and everyone else) for your input. > > I do not wish to seem disputatious, but I think there are two reservation s > concerning your answer. > 1) Hand sanitizer, as it is not wiped off, merely moves contamination ove r > a wider area. > 2) Hand sanitizers are principally ethanol, which may increase the > permeability of the skin, increasing the rate of absorption of a chemical > until such time as the hands are actually washed. > > Again, I feel that what important here (and I may have an exaggerated sen se > of its importance) is the distinction between behavior in the lab and the > =93civilian=94 world. For instance, it is relatively safe to sit on the floor > or on a desk in the civilian world, but not in the lab. I think Bertrand > Russell sited the example of smoking as generally undesirable, but in a > nitroglycerin factory, criminal. > > Ben > > > > > >

Would 3% hydrogen peroxide work as well as IPA as a disinfectant in microbi ology but not so good as a hand sanitizer?=A0 It's another bathroom ite m and=A0 inexpensive/

Mary Ellen

On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 8:52 AM, Erik A. Talley <ert2002**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu> wrote:

Purell contains mostly ethanol (~70%) with a small amount of IPA (~5%), and I know of cases where people =93drink=94 it to become drunk.

=A0
MSDS listing contents at:

http://www.gojo.com/United-States/Brands/PURELL/MSDS.aspx

=A0
=A0
Regards,

=A0
Erik

=A0

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHA S-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Christopher Suznovich
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 8:03 AM

To: DCHAS- L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Hand sanitizer

=A0

Actually hand sanitizers contain 90-99% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) which is the active ingredient in rubbing alcohol because it works as a good disinfectant. =A0It is also the alcohol in the alcohol wipes and pads in first aid kits. =A0=A0Ethanol would not be used because of the possibility of people ingesting the gel to the ethanol and t he possibility that any quantity of ethanol may enter the blood stream through openings in the skin such as cuts.
Hand sanitizer is not meant to be wiped off. =A0You are supposed to rub you r hands together until the hand sanitizers is your hands are dry.
The issue with hand sanitizers is somewhere to some, since they are a disinfectant they are better than soap or should be used more often than th ey should. =A0Having typically 99% IPA is an issue because there are bacteria that can live in high alcohol environments. =A0When cleaning and disinfecting microbiology labs and work areas, a solution of 70% IPA is use d because of that possibility.
Regards,
Chris

From: List Moder ator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM .EDU>
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu>
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:47:38 -0400
To: <DC HAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Hand sanitizer
From: "Ben Ruekberg" <bruekberg**At_Symbol_Here**chm.uri.edu>
Date: April 20, 2010 7:43:21 AM EDT
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Hand sanitizer

> these units bring the whole aspect of hand hygiene to the student's min d

Thank you (and everyone else) for your input.
=A0
I do not wish to seem disputatious, but I think there are two reservations concerning your answer.
1) Hand sanitizer, as it is not wiped off, merely moves contamination over a wider area.
2) Hand sanitizers are principally ethanol, which may increase the permeabi lity of the skin, increasing the rate of absorption of a chemical until such tim e as the hands are actually washed.
=A0
Again, I feel that what important here (and I may have an exaggerated sense of its importance) is the distinction between behavior in the lab and the =93civilian=94 world. =A0For instan ce, it is relatively safe to sit on the floor or on a desk in the civilian world, but not in the lab. =A0I think Bertrand Russell sited the example of smoking as generally undesirable, but in a nitroglycerin factory, criminal.

Ben
=A0

=A0

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