Determining Volatile Impurities and Ethanol Content in Hand Sanitizers with GC–MS

Researchers at Lebanese American University performed a study focused on the assessment of volatile impurities and ethanol content in ethanol-based hand sanitizers. The sanitizers included in the study were analyzed using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to detect impurities and determine alcohol content for compliance, and various volatile impurities were identified through the analysis of mass spectrometry databases. In addition, the researchers conducted a simulated toxicological analysis to evaluate the potential toxic effects associated with hand sanitizer usage. A paper focused on this research was published in Toxicology Reports (1).

Hand hygiene is a simple and yet effective method in the decreasing of transmission of infections in public or in healthcare settings (2), and the has led to the prevalent use of hand sanitizers has emerged, especially with the notable increase in the number of cases of Covid-19 starting in December 2019 (3). Hand sanitizers are commonly classified into two groups: alcohol-based (which may contain one or more type of alcohol, with or without excipients) or alcohol free (4). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of hand sanitizers with at least 60 % alcohol (often listed on the labels as ethanol, ethyl alcohol, or as a different alcohol, namely isopropanol, or 2-propanol) (5) and strongly recommended against the use of alcohol-free sanitizers for anti-coronavirus (6).

Per the study (1), a total of 31 different brands of hand sanitizers were analyzed by the research team. The impurities detected primarily included ethyl acetate, benzene, acetone, and acetal, along with contaminations such as isobutanol and non-recommended alcohols. The research also revealed that 71 % of samples contained less than the recommended 60 % v/v alcohol concentration, indicating their failure to comply with guidelines from the CDC. Furthermore, the simulation study underscored acute and chronic toxicities primarily linked to benzene contamination. It was determined that only six of the samples met the compliance criteria of both the alcohol percentage and absence of impurities.

The recommendation of the researchers is that awareness on the use of high-quality alcohol-based hand sanitizers be increased. Given that some of the studied products are imported while others are locally produced, the team came to the conclusion that consumers worldwide must be informed that certain hand sanitizers may not only be ineffective, but also contain harmful residues (1).

Young woman using hand sanitizer gel with liquid alcohol disinfectant for prevention of coronavirus and other pandemic and epidemic diseases. © Aleksander Vorobev - stock.adobe.com

References

1. Saab, Y.; Zgheib, R.; Nakad, Z.; Khnayzer, R.S. Determination of Volatile Impurities and Ethanol Content in Ethanol-Based Hand Sanitizers: Compliance and Toxicity. Toxicol. Rep. 2024, 8 (13), 101709. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2024.101709

2. Alzyood, M.; Jackson, D.; Aveyard, H.; Brooke, J. COVID‐19 Reinforces the Importance of Handwashing. J. Clin. Nurs. 2020, 29 (15–16), 2760. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.15313

3. Muralidar, S.; Ambi, S. V.; Sekaran, S.; Krishnan, U. M. The Emergence of COVID-19 as a Global Pandemic: Understanding the Epidemiology, Immune Response and Potential Therapeutic Targets of SARS-CoV-2. Biochimie 2020, 179, 85–100. DOI:
10.1016/j.biochi.2020.09.018

4. Jing, J. L. J.; Pei Yi, T.; Bose, R. J.; McCarthy, J. R.; Tharmalingam, N.; Madheswaran, T. (2020). Hand Sanitizers: A Review on Formulation Aspects, Adverse Effects, and Regulations. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17 (9), 3326. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17093326

5. CDC. 2020. COVID-19 and Your Health. CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting- sick/hand-sanitizer.html (accessed 2024-09-09)

6. Gold N.A., Mirza T.M., Avva U. 2021. Alcohol Sanitizer. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513254/ (accessed 2024-09-09)