Carcinogen found in hand sanitizers

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Carcinogen Found in Hand Sanitizers That Plugged Covid Gap

It is toxic enough that it is restricted for use in my university’s teaching labs. Researchers can use it, but must follow safety protocols when doing so. I used the pure solvent as a medium to grow crystals of compounds. My exposure was limited to a well ventilated hood with proper ppg.

Benzene is often found in gasoline blends. It is amazing how many people will pump gas into their car, spill gasoline on their hand from overfilling the tank and not wash afterwards. How many do you think go right to eating/drinking afterwards? It is not a small number. I use that example in my classes to teach about everyday chemical exposures that people do without thinking.

Another chemical one should watch for in hand sanitizers is methanol. It is a toxic poison that can be skin absorbed and cause damage in large enough concentration over time. Breathing the vapor is also bad. There is a case of someone drinking hand sanitizer that contained methanol last year. They thought that they could get drunk that way. What they got was a one way trip to the morgue. Now their family is suing the manufacturer of the hand sanitizer because they did not specifically list the methanol on the ingredient list. In the body it converts first to formaldehyde, then oxidizes further to formic acid. You will go blind first before death as it will reach your eyes, then your liver.

What is also amazing is that Pentane -- a closely-related chemical compound -- is used by the Dart Container Corporation (DCC) as an expansion agent in their manufacture of Styrofoam™ bowls, cups, and plates.  What people do not realize is that heating their food in these containers releases the trapped Pentane into their food!

Of course, DCC will probably claim.

No pentane is being released.
If there is, it is in miniscule amounts.
If it is not, it will not harm you.
If it does, the harm is temporary.
If it is not, you were probably sick already.

Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
No one is warning us and explaining these things to us!
Thank you so much!!

I largely avoided hand sanitizer. The advice was always to use it only if you can't wash your hands. At work, they have a dispenser in the restroom. I see people come in just to use it when they could be washing at the sink instead .

I use straight 90 percent isopropyl or cut it with a bit of 90 proof vodka to bring the 90 percent down to 65 percent as much as I can.

Slight off topic - Here is a video showing how microwave radiation can be used to convert plastic waste back into oil. It is from a decade ago:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qPIHJRIpLRk

The overall process has been greatly refined now and has been used commercially. The catch is that it still requires energy to power the microwaves. I could see where a solar cell/wind generator might come in handy for that part of the process.

Back on topic - There are many toxins out there. It pays to be knowledgeable about what you come into contact with on a daily basis. Learn not to fear chemicals, but to respect them for what they can or cannot do. Otherwise, it is much like playing with baby rattlesnakes if you do not know how to handle them. Most people would get bit and die before they got to the hospital. If you give them the respect the they deserve by not playing with them, you are much more likely to be ok.


An example of the above is chlorine bleach. Few read the warnings on the bottle before using it. Used correctly it can be a great disinfectant and get your clothes bright white. Used wrong, like pouring with ammonia cleaners, it can easily kill you with the side products formed.