Product Composition May Impact Alcohol-Based Hand Rubs More Than Alcohol Alone

Product formulations may have a greater effect on overall antimicrobial effectiveness of alcohol-based hand rubs than alcohol concentration alone, according to a study in the American Journal of Infection Control.

Researchers compared the efficacy of novel ABHR formulations with that of commercially available ABHRs and World Health Organization-recommended formulations based on global standards. The novel ABHRs contained 70 percent ethanol, while the commercially available and WHO-recommended ABHRs had alcohol concentrations of 60 percent to 90 percent.

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The researches found that the novel ABHR formulations met efficacy requirements of both the volumes traditionally used by the global standards and a more realistic 2 mL. In contrast, the commercial ABHRs and WHO formulations did not meet one set of standards at 2 mL. In addition, product performance was not correlated with alcohol concentration.

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