A comprehensive health effects assessment of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants during COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2023-06, Vol.30 (28), p.72368-72388
• Main Authors: Hamidinejad, Farahnaz Soleimani, Haluza, Daniela, Afrashteh, Sima, Abbasi, Alireza, Omeragić, Elma, Imamović, Belma, Rasheed, Narin A., Taher, Taqi M. J., Wazqar, Dhuha Youssef, Yildirim, Ayca Demir, Kalikyan, Zaruhi, Valbuena, Andrea Chong, Pando, Carolina Martínez, Saridi, Maria, Cuba, Magalys Lopez, Kwadzokpui, Precious Kwablah, Tadele, Niguse, Nasibova, Tohfa, Harsch, Stefanie, Munkh-Erdene, Luvsan, Evangelou, Efi, Dimova, Antoniya, Shalimova, Anna, Fouly, Howieda, da Silva Faquim, Juliana Pereira, Annunziato, Maria Antonieta, Lalo, Rezarta, Ade, Anju D., Stojkov, Svetlana, Narvaez, Carmen Gloria, Mudau, Lutendo Sylvia, Rassas, Ines, Kaynar, Nur Sema, Iqbal, Sehar, Elshwekh, Halla, Hossain, Irin, AL-Fayyadh, Sadeq, Alnusairat, Dua’a M. H., Pandey, Apsara, Gómez-Gómez, Brenda, Morosan, Elena, Dwarica, Daniella, Dorj, Gantuya, Hasan, Sumaya Yusuf, Al-Shdayfat, Noha M., Knezevic, Bojana, Valladares, Wendy, Severi, Cecilia, Fuentes, Sofia Cuba, Augusto, Sofia, Sidorova, Elizaveta, Moelyaningrum, Anita Dewi, Alawad, Tafaul, Khalid, Atiqa, Elehamer, Nafisa M. K., Tsigengagel, Oxana, Menouni, Aziza, Hod, Rozita, Othman, Khadija, Paunov, Tsonco, Omar, Meruyert, Benderli, Nana Christine, Elnoamany, Salma, Elesrigy, Fatma, Acevedo-López, Doménica, Kartashova, Maria, Khalaf, Atika, Kadhim, Taisir A., Teng, Yulong, Mohammed, Fatima E., Sasikumar, Thayahlini, Hikaambo, Christabel Nangandu, Kharat, Aditi, Lyamtseva, Ulyana, Pawlas, Natalia, Khorolsuren, Lkhagvasuren, Koonjul, Roopeshwaree Pallavi, Maïnassara, Halima Boubacar, Chahal, Priyanka, Kumar, Ainur B., Zamora-Corrales, Irina, Matiashova, Lolita, Elsherif, Omneya Ezzat, Alkhateeb, Nazdar E., Aleaga, Yamilé, Cabrera-Galeana, Paula, Brown-Myrie, Eugenie, Bhandari, Divya, Mayaboti, Cinderella Akbar, Stanišić, Svetlana, Bektay, Muhammed Yunus, Al Sabbah, Haleama, Hashemi, Saber, Assia, Bouchetara, Merritt, Anne-Sophie, Ramzi, Zhian, Baboolal, Himawatee, Isstaif, Juman, Shami, Rula, Saad, Rahma
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohols; Antiseptics; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Chemical agents; Chi-square test; Chlorides - chemistry; Chlorine; Chlorine compounds; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Detergents; Disease control; Disinfectants; Disinfectants - chemistry; Disinfection; Disinfection & disinfectants; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi; Formaldehyde; Health Sciences; Humans; Hälsovetenskap; Irritation; Itching; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Pandemics; Pandemics - prevention & control; Pruritus; Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology; Regression analysis; Research Article; Risk factors; Sanitizers; Side effects; Sodium; Sodium hypochlorite; Sodium Hypochlorite - chemistry; Surveys and Questionnaires; Viral diseases; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27197-6

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life so far. From the outset of the pandemic, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through the observance of health protocols, especially the use of sanitizers and disinfectants was given more attention. Despite the effectiveness of disinfection chemicals in controlling and preventing COVID-19, there are critical concerns about their adverse effects on human health. This study aims to assess the health effects of sanitizers and disinfectants on a global scale. A total of 91,056 participants from 154 countries participated in this cross-sectional study. Information on the use of sanitizers and disinfectants and health was collected using an electronic questionnaire, which was translated into 26 languages via web-based platforms. The findings of this study suggest that detergents, alcohol-based substances, and chlorinated compounds emerged as the most prevalent chemical agents compared to other sanitizers and disinfectants examined. Most frequently reported health issues include skin effects and respiratory effects. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between chlorinated compounds (sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine) with all possible health effects under investigation ( p -value