EAST NORRITON, Pa. (WLVT) — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning about hand sanitizers that can be toxic to people.
There are dozens of varieties of hand sanitizers on their list of toxic products—and a number of them contain high levels of methanol. Methanol is also known as wood alcohol or sterno, which is used to heat chafing dishes.
William Price, who leads La Salle University’s chemistry program, says consumers should look for alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain ethanol (a.k.a. ethyl) or isopropyl alcohol.
"First and foremost, ethanol is the primary one. There are some sanitizers that use isopropyl alcohol, which is rubbing alcohol. The disadvantage of that is that isopropyl has a much more pungent odor, while ethanol has virtually no odor at all," Price told PBS39.
He explained why methanol is considered dangerous.
"For a couple of reasons, it’s more volatile, it has a lower boiling point than ethanol does, but more importantly, it’s metabolized into a far more toxic compound than ethanol. Ethanol is in beverages that people consume like wine, beer and vodka," explained Price.
In June, the FDA alerted the public that hand sanitizer products from Mexico-based manufacturer Eskbiochem contained high levels of methanol and should not be used.
Thersa Sweet, associate professor at Drexel University’s School of Public Health, says high demand for hand sanitizer may have caused some companies to move to other ingredients.
"Hand sanitizer is in great demand right now. It became hard to find at the start of the pandemic, and even now, it can be hard to find on the shelves at the stores sometimes. There was such a demand, that some companies went to using solely methanol, because they just couldn’t get the ethanol. You’re not going to know the difference by smelling it or anything like that. The name brands that you’re used to seeing are likely fine. With brands that you’ve never seen before, make sure you take a look at the ingredients," Sweet told PBS39.
David Goldberger, a medical toxicologist at Einstein Medical Center, warns that young children may like the sweet taste of some hand sanitizers. He says digestion of hand sanitizer products can be poisonous.
"The biggest danger is if it’s ingested," Goldberger told PBS39. "If a child digests any type of hand sanitizer, you need to immediately call a doctor and it’s also advisable to contact your local poison control center. Some signs of poisoning to look for are that the person may seem drunk, slur their words or lose their balance. With methanol poisoning, it collects in the retina in the back of the eye, and it can actually cause blindness if it’s not treated appropriately."
When you check the label on hand sanitizer, Price says it should contain at least 60 percent ethanol—or ethyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is the other standard alcohol base for a hand sanitizer product. When you can’t get to a sink, he recommends the use of hand sanitizers.
"Here, I have some Germ-X and it says the only active ingredient is ethyl alcohol, 62 percent, and the rest is water," Price noted.
Regular hand washing, the CDC says, is the best way to remove germs and avoid getting sick.
"Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Sing happy birthday twice, and make sure that you get the soap and water on all sides of your hands and in between your fingers. Soap is by far the best anecdote," he said.
For questions or to report a fraudulent product, email the FDA here: COVID-19-Hand-Sanitizers@fda.hhs.gov