Toxic chemicals found in hand sanitizers and other disinfectants, as well as household items like furniture and electronics, may harm the brain development of children and future generations. These include quaternary compounds widely used in disinfectants and organophosphate flame retardants commonly found in many household products.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio found that quaternary compounds damage oligodendrocytes, the glial cells in the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, while flame retardants Increased risk of neurodevelopmental problems.1 These two types of chemicals are widely present in the environment, increasing health risks for the entire population.
Hand sanitizer compounds may harm brain development
Quaternary ammonium compounds, also known as QACs or quaternary ammonium compounds, are common ingredients in hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes. The use of both products has increased significantly in recent years.
During the epidemic, Clorox increased the production of disinfectant wipes to 1.5 million packs per day.2 An industry trade group survey found that 83% of households have used disinfecting wipes at least once in the past week, and 92% of consumers have used cleaning, disinfecting or disinfecting wipes.3
The use of hand sanitizer has also increased during the epidemic, with children using it up to 25 times a day and adults using it more than 9 times a day.4 You may also be exposed to QACs in many other common products, including wood preservatives, mouthwash, cleaners, shampoos, fabric softeners, eye drops and herbicides.
The cumulative effects of this exposure are unknown, but in a study of young rats, researchers found the chemicals present in the animals’ brain tissue days after oral doses. This not only suggests that QAC crosses the blood-brain barrier but may also cause damage to oligodendrocytes in the brain.5
Oligodendrocytes play an important role in forming myelin, the fatty layer that surrounds the axons of nerve cells. This myelin sheath is critical for the rapid transmission of electrical signals, allowing for efficient communication within the nervous system. Oligodendrocytes act like insulators around electrical wires, and damage to them can lead to a variety of neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
The number of oligodendrocytes in the brains of mice decreased after they were given a QAC called cetylpyridinium chloride 10 times a day starting five days after birth. “The loss of oligodendrocytes underlies multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases,” said study author Paul Tesar. “We now show that specific chemicals in consumer products can directly damage oligodendrocytes, a type of A previously unrecognized risk factor for neurological disease.6
The scientists also tested QAC in brain organoids, three-dimensional cell cultures used as models to study brain development and disease mechanisms. Similar damage was found.7 Normally, oligodendrocytes develop from prenatal to adulthood, but research suggests QACs may kill them.
“We found that oligodendrocytes—but not other brain cells—are unexpectedly susceptible to the effects of quaternary ammonium compounds and organophosphate flame retardants,” study author Erin Cohen said in a press release . “Understanding human exposure to these chemicals may help explain the missing link in how some neurological diseases arise.”8
QACs have also been linked to immune system, respiratory and reproductive adverse effects
When you use products that contain QACs (such as cleaners, disinfectants, personal care products, etc.), you may be exposed to these chemicals by ingesting them, inhaling them, or absorbing them through your skin. In addition to causing damage to brain cells, QACs have been linked to a variety of adverse health consequences, including:9
- Cutaneous (skin) and respiratory effects
- Developmental and reproductive toxicity
- Disruption of metabolic functions, such as lipid homeostasis
- Impaired mitochondrial function
In fact, the National Pesticide Information Center states that children should not use antibacterial wipes because they contain QACs, and children are more likely to have higher exposure rates by putting their hands in their mouths.10
Another study found that these chemicals can also contribute to antimicrobial resistance and contaminate the environment, including causing acute and chronic toxicity to aquatic life.11 Writing in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, the researchers explain that QACs are a “chemical class of emerging concern”:12
“The use of QACs is increasing, but there is no high-quality evidence of their effectiveness in reducing the spread of infectious diseases in many settings and applications. At the same time, greater indoor use is consistent with higher indoor exposure, given the recent findings Adverse health outcomes are a concern in laboratory animals at relatively low (environmental) exposure concentrations.
Increased production and use are expected to result in elevated QAC concentrations in wastewater, a pathway leading to broader environmental exposure and potential risk to biota. This is particularly concerning given that some environmental concentrations already exceed aquatic toxicity protection thresholds.
Flame retardants linked to neurodevelopmental disorders
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University also analyzed the levels of the flame retardant metabolite BDCIPP in children. Data from 1,763 children aged 3 to 11 years showed that nearly all had BDCIPP in their urine.
However, Science Alert reports that “those with the highest levels of exposure were between two and six times more likely to develop adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as motor dysfunction or needing educational assistance, than those with lower exposure levels.”13
Past research has also found that exposure to more flame retardants during pregnancy can lead to reduced intelligence in children. Specifically, for every 10-fold increase in prenatal exposure to another flame retardant, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), children’s IQ test scores dropped by 3.7 points.14
Past research has also shown that children born to mothers with higher levels of flame-retardant chemicals have an average IQ drop of 4.5 points.15 Exposure in childhood is strongly associated with poor attention span, reduced fine motor coordination and cognitive decline.16 Flame retardants may even alter important processes in the placenta, including tryptophan metabolism, affecting the developing brain.number 17
“Our findings demonstrate the need for a more comprehensive review of the effects of these common household chemicals on brain health,” Tesar said in a press release. “We hope our work will contribute to regulatory decisions Measures or behavioral interventions to make informed decisions to minimize chemical exposure and protect human health.”18
What else is lurking in hand sanitizer?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration maintains a list of “hand sanitizers that consumers should not use.”19 It includes products tested by the FDA and found to contain benzene, acetaldehyde, methanol, acetal or other toxins.
Other products on the list were found to be microbially contaminated, produced in the same factories as products containing benzene and other toxins, or packaged in containers similar to food or beverage containers, resulting in an increased risk of accidental ingestion.20
Valisure Labs also tested 260 hand sanitizer products, including liquid and non-liquid products. They found that 44 batches, or 17%, contained benzene. The highest level of benzene detected was 16.1 parts per million (ppm), more than eight times the FDA’s temporary limit of 2 ppm.twenty one
Benzene is found in crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke, and is also widely used in the manufacture of plastics, synthetic fibers, lubricants, rubber, dyes, detergents, pharmaceuticals and pesticides, among other chemicals. For example, benzene interferes with cells and causes the bone marrow to fail to produce enough red blood cells, causing anemia. It can also cause immune system damage, including changes in antibody levels and loss of white blood cells.
Long-term exposure to benzene can cause cancer in humans, particularly leukemia, and is known to cause irregular menstruation and reduced ovarian size in women.twenty two The FDA also states in its guidance on how to use hand sanitizer safely that hand sanitizer is a drug.twenty three Even small amounts can cause alcohol poisoning in children.
Writing in Toxicology Reviews, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Vellore call for the development of natural alternatives to toxic hand sanitizers, stating:twenty four
“Children are at high risk for potentially fatal complications from unintentional exposure to hand sanitizers. Skin irritation, dryness, cracking, peeling, hypoglycemia, apnea, and acidosis are examples of unintended consequences of hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers have been reported to kill Kill normal microbial flora.
Children are more susceptible to toxicities associated with the chemical ingredients of commercially available chemical hand sanitizers; however, research into developing children’s hand sanitizer formulations is still in its infancy… Additionally, many chemical hand sanitizer formulations, especially alcohol-based hand sanitizer formulations, have been reported to May contain contaminants such as methanol, acetaldehyde, benzene, isopropyl alcohol and ethyl acetate.
Use hand sanitizer as little as possible (if at all) – wash your hands
Overuse of hand sanitizer and other disinfectants can be counterproductive. Inhaling disinfectants has potential adverse effects on human health because these chemicals are known to accumulate in the lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, brain, and blood. Exposure has certainly increased for many people during the pandemic, with exposure to disinfectants via inhalation and oral routes, as well as skin and eyes.
There are also serious environmental concerns due to “abnormal release and diffusion of higher concentrations of biocide products into surface and groundwater and wastewater treatment systems.”25 When disinfectants and biocides enter the environment, they can destroy beneficial bacterial species that suppress resistant microorganisms.
“[I]If fungicide concentrations reach sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC), this event may increase selection pressure, promote horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and drive the evolution of AMR [antimicrobial resistance],” scientists warn.26
Remember, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes can do little that soap and water can’t do. Unless you’re in a hospital setting where disinfectants are sometimes needed, you should use hand sanitizer sparingly and only when you really need it, which is often almost never needed.
In most cases, simply washing your hands will keep them clean. One study compared the effectiveness of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in removing E. coli to hand washing with ozonated tap water or soap and water, with soap and water being the most effective.27
As an added benefit, washing your hands for a week can reduce a person’s exposure to flame retardants by about half. Performing a weekly house cleaning to reduce dust is also an effective way to significantly reduce exposure to dangerous flame retardant chemicals.