Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitization is very important, all the time and to everyone. Its importance is felt more, in times like attack of Swine flu and Anthrax. Washing hands with Soap and water may not be fully safe. Antibacterial Hand sanitization is essential for making very sure about total cleanliness. Alcohol based sanitizers are most common and they are made user friendly with help of additives such as glycerin, thickening agents and perfumes. The soap itself has definite cleansing qualities. Anionic surfactants and Cationic surfactants such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Benzalkonium Chloride are used in hand sanitizers. Antibacterial chemical agents such as Chloroxylenol and chlorhexidine are often added to Antibacterial hand sanitizers.

Getting an antibacterial hand sanitizer

Is it necessary that we have to become extra cautious and start thinking of most basic things like ‘Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer’, only when we have problems like swine flu or postal anthrax attack of 2001? Hand sanitization is as basic as what we learn in kindergarten. Proper hand sanitization is necessary for everyone. It is not something that is only for doctors, nurses and health personnel. Children in school, children on play ground, men and women in travel, people at place of work, at gymnasium, at bars and restaurants and mothers in kitchens; one and all are constantly in danger of carrying harmful germs on to their hands from everything that they touch.

Good old hand- wash with soap and water is good, but not good enough. FDA has defined Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer as an agent which can replace, soap and water washing. Antibacterial is substance that kills bacteria, suppresses bacterial growth or destroys bacteria’s capacity to reproduce. The most common antibacterial hand sanitizers contain IPA which is isopropyl alcohol in concentration of 60% and above, volume/ volume.

Alcohol is very effective against majority of bacteria and even fungi. These, alcohol based hand sanitizers can be harsh to skin of hand. Therefore, these hand washes are made more suitable for use, by addition of chemicals like glycerin, and certain thickening agents. They are normally very nicely perfumed. Thick foam produced by soap is useful for washing away dirt and other harmful substances sticking to skin of hand. Seeing thick foam on hand, also gives psychological feeling of cleanliness.

For the same reasons, surfactants are also used in antibacterial hand sanitizers. Anionic surfactants such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Sodium Cetostearyl Sulphate lower surface tension and cause emulsification of lipoidal secretions on skin, in which bacteria are embedded. They get enmeshed in lather and get washed away. These agents are more effective against gram positive and acid fast organisms. Cationic Surfactants normally contain ‘5’valancy nitrogen atom, in compounds like quaternary ammonium, pyridinium or piperidinium group. These agents have action, both against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Benzalkonoium chloride is a cationic surfactant used in many hand sanitizers. The antibacterial chemicals like cresol, phenol, chloroxylenol, chlorhexidine are some of the very effective antibacterial agents used in hand sanitizers.

The most important part in hand sanitization is proper dispenser. The dispenser should be such, that one should be able to operate it, with minimum touch. The dispensers with electronic ‘Eye’ are very useful at this stage. Last but not the least, easy availability of clean and fresh napkin to dry hands, for every user is very important.