As multiple altruistic businesses sought to assist in the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic by diverting workforces to produce hand sanitisers concerns have been raised about the effectiveness but more alarmingly the safety of some of these products.
As a result of fraudulent practices concerns have been raised about the lack of effectiveness and indeed safety of some products therefore to mitigate against false senses of security it is vital that companies manufacturing hand sanitisers demonstrate their efficacy.
Recently distributed WHO guidelines recommend the use of either ethanol or 2-propanol (isopropyl alcohol) with final concentrations of 80% or 75% respectively and recommend both pre and post production analysis. To assist companies, provide re-assurances that their products are effective, safe and meet the recommended guidelines Fera Science have developed a rapid screening methodology based on the technology of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. This technology unlike others is able to rapidly verify the solvent used, even differentiating easily between 2-propanol and its isomer 1-propanol and provides a rapid accurate alcohol content.
