Hand sanitizers and other disinfectant chemicals, as well as household items such as furniture and electronics, can harm brain development in children and future generations. This includes quaternary compounds – widely used in disinfectants – and organophosphate flame retardants, which are found in many household products.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio found that four compounds were damaging oligodendrocytes, a type of glial cell in the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, while flame retardants increased the risk of neurodevelopmental problems. .1 Both chemical classes are widespread in the environment, increasing the risk of population-wide health risks.
Hand sanitizer compounds can harm brain development
Quaternary ammonium compounds, also known as QACs or quats, are a popular ingredient in hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes. The use of both products has increased significantly in recent years.
Clorox increased production of its disinfecting wipes to 1.5 million packs per day during the pandemic.2 However, an industry trade group survey found that 83 percent of households had used disinfecting wipes at least once in the past week and 92 percent of consumers had used cleaning, disinfecting or sanitizing wipes.3
Hand sanitizer use also increased during the pandemic, up to 25 times per day among children and nine times per day among adults.4 You may also be exposed to QACs in many other common products, including wood preservatives, mouthwash, detergents, shampoos, fabric softeners, eye drops, and herbicides.
The cumulative effects of such exposures are unknown, but in a study on mouse pups, researchers found chemicals in the animals’ brain tissue after being administered just one oral dose. Not only does this suggest that QACs cross the blood-brain barrier, but they can also damage oligodendrocytes in the brain.5
Oligodendrocytes play an important role in forming the myelin sheath, a thick layer that surrounds the axons of nerve cells. This myelin sheath is essential for the rapid transmission of electrical signals, which allows for efficient communication within the nervous system. Damage to oligodendrocytes, which act similar to the insulation around electrical wires, can lead to many neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis.
After 10 daily doses of a QAC called cetylpyridinium chloride — starting just five days after birth — the mice had reduced numbers of oligodendrocytes in their brains. Study author Paul Tesser noted, “Damage of oligodendrocytes leads to multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases. We now show that specific chemicals in consumer products can directly damage oligodendrocytes, leading to a previously unknown risk.” represents the factor for nervous disease.”6
The scientists also tested QACs in brain organisms, which are three-dimensional cell cultures used as models for studying brain development and disease mechanisms. The same damage was found.7 Normally, oligodendrocytes continue to develop into adulthood before birth, but studies show that QACs can kill them.
“We found that oligodendrocytes — but not other brain cells — are surprisingly vulnerable to ammonium compounds and organophosphate flame retardants,” study author Erin Cohen said in a news release. May help explain the missing link in how some neurological diseases develop.”8
QACs have also been linked to immune system, respiratory and reproductive adverse effects
When you use products containing QACs such as cleaners, disinfectants, personal care products and more, you may ingest the chemicals, ingest them or absorb them through your skin. Beyond damage to brain cells, QACs have also been linked to several adverse health outcomes including:9
- Dermal (skin) and respiratory effects
- Developmental and reproductive toxicity
- Disorders of metabolic function such as lipid homeostasis
- Disorders of mitochondrial function
In fact, the National Pesticide Information Center says that children should not use antimicrobial wipes because they contain QACs, and children are likely to have higher rates of exposure by putting their hands in their mouths.10
Separate research found that the chemicals also contribute to antimicrobial resistance and pollute the environment, causing acute and chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms.11 Writing in Environmental Science and Technology, the researchers explained that QACs are a “chemical class of emerging concern”:12
“The use of QAC is increasing, in many settings and applications without high-quality evidence of their effectiveness in reducing infectious disease transmission. Meanwhile, more indoor use corresponds to more indoor exposure, which is a There is concern over the recent discovery of adverse health outcomes in laboratory animals at relatively low (ambient) exposure concentrations.
Increased production and consumption is expected to result in higher QAC concentrations in wastewater, which is a pathway for wider environmental exposure and potential hazards to biota. This is particularly so given that some environmental concentrations already exceed protective aquatic toxicity limits.”
Neurodevelopmental disorders associated with radiation regurgitation
Case Western Reserve University researchers also analyzed 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 reported, “those with high levels were between two and six times more likely than those with low exposure to experience negative neurodevelopmental outcomes such as motor impairment or need for educational support.”13
Past research has also linked higher exposure to flame retardants during pregnancy with lower intelligence in the child. Specifically, for every 10-fold increase in prenatal exposure to another type of flame retardant, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), there was a 3.7-point decrease in IQ test scores in children.14
Past research has also shown that children born to mothers with high levels of the flame retardant chemical in their bodies had an average drop in IQ of 4.5 points.15 While exposure in childhood is strongly associated with poor attention span, poor motor coordination and reduced cognitive ability.16 Flame retardants may alter important processes, including tryptophan metabolism, in the placenta that may affect the developing brain.17
“Our findings suggest that a more comprehensive examination of the effects of these common household chemicals on brain health is necessary,” Tesser said in a news release. “We hope our work will help make informed decisions about regulatory measures or behavioral interventions to reduce chemical exposure and protect human health.”18
What else is in a hand sanitizer?
The US Food and Drug Administration maintains a running list of “hand sanitizers that should not be used.”19 This includes products that have been tested by the FDA and found to contain benzene, acetaldehyde, methanol, acetyl or other toxins.
Others on the list were found to contain microbial contaminants, were manufactured in the same facility as products containing benzene and other toxins or were packaged in containers similar to food or beverage containers, increasing the risk of accidental ingestion.20
The Valisure laboratory also tested 260 hand sanitizing products, including liquid and non-liquid products. They found that 44 batches, or 17 percent, contained benzene. The highest benzene level detected was 16.1 parts per million (ppm), which is more than eight times the FDA’s interim limit of 2 ppm.21
Benzene is found in crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke, and is also widely used to make chemicals used in the production of plastics, synthetic fibers, lubricants, rubber, paints, soaps, medicines, and pesticides. Benzene interferes with cells, causing the bone marrow to not produce enough red blood cells, for example triggering anemia. It can also damage the immune system, including changes in antibody levels and loss of white blood cells.
After long-term exposure, benzene causes cancer in humans, especially leukemia, and is known to cause irregular menstrual periods and decreased ovarian size in women.22 In their guide on how to use hand sanitizer safely, the FDA also states that hand sanitizers are drugs,23 which can cause alcohol poisoning in children if consumed even in small amounts.
Writing in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, researchers with the Vellore Institute of Technology in India called for the development of natural alternatives to replace toxic hand sanitizers, noting:24
“Children’s inadvertent exposure to hand sanitizers poses a high risk of fatal complications.” Skin irritation, dryness, cracking, peeling, hypoglycemia, apnea, and acidosis are examples of unintended consequences of hand hygiene. Hands, which usually promote innate immunity in children under 12 years of age.
Children are more susceptible to the toxicity associated with the chemical components of commercial chemical-based hand sanitizers; However, studies on developing hand sanitizer formulations for children are preliminary … Additionally, it has been reported that many chemical-based hand sanitizer formulations, particularly alcohol-based ones containing methanol, acetaldehyde, , can include contaminants such as benzene, isopropanol, and ethyl-acetate. “
Use hand sanitizer sparingly, if at all – instead of washing your hands
Excessive use of hand sanitizers and other disinfectants can backfire. Inhaling pesticides has potential adverse effects on human health, as such chemicals are known to accumulate in the lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, brain, and blood. Exposure was certainly increased during the pandemic for many people who were exposed to pesticides through the inhalation and oral routes, as well as through the skin and eyes.
There are also significant environmental concerns about “inadvertent release and high concentration levels of biocide-based products in groundwater and also in wastewater treatment systems.”25 When pesticides and biocides enter the environment, they can kill beneficial bacterial species that are keeping drug-resistant microorganisms in check.
“[I]If biocide concentrations reach sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC), this event can increase selection pressure, increase horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and drive the evolution of AMR. [antimicrobial resistance]”Scientists warn.26
Remember, there are few hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes that soap and water can’t do. Unless you’re in a hospital setting, where disinfectants are rarely necessary, you should use hand sanitizer sparingly and only when absolutely necessary, which is usually rare.
In most cases, simple hand washing is all that is needed to keep your hands clean. In a study that compared the effectiveness of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and ozonized tap water or hand washing using soap and water to eliminate E. coli, washing with soap and water was the most effective.27
As an added bonus, one week of hand washing reduced individual exposure to flame retardants by nearly half. Cleaning the house for a week to reduce dust was also an effective way to significantly reduce exposure to hazardous flame retardant chemicals.
