DM recalls some batches of six hand sanitiser brands
dubai — As the Dubai Municipality has withdrawn specific batches of six brands of hand sanitisers from the market for not complying with the approved specifications, several UAE residents have expressed concerns over the chemical composition of the products they are using and their safety aspects.
According to dermatologists, hand sanitisers can be used regularly on healthy skin. However, frequent hand washing is the best way to fend off the coronavirus, they said, adding that it is not about the quantity of hand sanitisers used, but the method of spreading it over the hands that matter.
Over the course of the last two days, health authorities in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Municipality have recalled specific batches of several hand sanitisers from markets due to non-conformity to international quality standards.
On March 30, the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi recalled Rosa Bella, Dyna+ and Lulu hand sanitisers with Aloe and Vitamin E for having less than 60 per cent alcohol content.
On Wednesday, the Dubai Municipality (DM) withdrew Lulu Hand Sanitiser 500ml (batch number 320104), Lulu Hand Sanitiser 250ml (3200105), Cosmo Hand sanitiser 65ml (24286), Ziva Hand Sanitiser 250ml (3200050), Feah Hand sanitiser 50ml (24291) and Ameya Isopropyl Alcohol 70ml.
An official statement from the municipality said: “A total of 102 samples of different sizes were taken from the products circulated in the market for the purpose of conformity tests and laboratory analysis.”
The tests showed that six samples did not comply with the approved specifications due to the presence of methanol, which is a colourless liquid with a pungent odour used as a solvent.
The statement added: “It is highly toxic and hazardous to human health, and affects the nervous system, causes dizziness, headache, irritation of the skin and respiratory system, and causes blindness in severe poisoning cases.”
Why is methanol bad for you?
Dr Ramachandran Rajagopal, a dermatology specialist at Aster Hospital Qusais, said methanol has no business being near the human skin. “It is an industrial solvent. If individuals are using hand sanitisers, it must be ones that have ethyl alcohol,” said Dr Rajagopal.
According to a case study titled ‘A case of acute methanol poisoning from Northern Kerala’ published in the Open Access Emergency Medicine, ‘Methanol is a cheap, potent adulterant widely used in illicit liquor. There have been several episodes of mass methanol poisoning in India with varying mortality and morbidity rates.’
India has seen the greatest number of methanol poisoning cases, where 256 cases were witnessed in 2019 alone. Similar poisonings have taken place in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia and the United States to name a few.
Side-effects of using sanitisers that contain methanol
Methanol must never be used in such a product because of oral, pulmonary and or skin exposures as it can result in severe systemic toxicity and even deaths. Inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption of methanol can cause disturbances in vision, including blindness.
Dr Vimi Ponnamparambath, a specialist dermatologist from Aster Beauty clinic in Al Warqa, Dubai, explained: “Methanol is not advisable to sanitise your hands as it can get absorbed through your skin, causing very serious side effects like permanent blindness by destroying the optic
nerve, and poisoning of central nervous system coma and possibly death.”
Chemical composition of a hand sanitiser
The main ingredient found in hand sanitisers are ethyl alcohol or Ethanol. Other ingredients are water, glycerin, isopropyl myristate, propylene glycol, tocopheryl acetate, aminomethyl propanol, carbomer and fragrance.
“Alcohol ethanol concentration of 60 per cent or greater is needed to be effective, but as you increase the concentration, say 100 per cent or so, it would dry your skin very quickly and causes skin irritation. This will prevent you from washing your hands as frequently as it is needed,” said Dr Ponnamparambath.