Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. John Trant
Proposal
Testing anti-microbial efficacy of Alcohol- Free Hand Sanitizer (AFHS)
Moutasem Seifi, Dr. Bukola Aremu, Dr. Farsheed Raz, Dr. John Trant*
The pandemic highlighted health issues arising from hasty production of poorly purified ethanol to keep up with rising demand of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHS), calling for a need for an alternative anti-microbial reagent. Overuse of lower-grade ethanol products may result in potential skin allergies or irritation or even poisonings from accidental consumption.1, 2 Not only health effects, but the waste from ABHS causes environmental effects when it reaches water, threatening aquatic life as well as disrupting soil infiltration rates on land.1 Essential oils (EOs) have been found to contain anti-microbial properties.3, 4 While not as commercially available as the main reagent, EOs are used to supplement and improve ABHS by moistening the skin from dehydration and add anti-microbial effects. This talk discusses the Trant Team investigation of using naturally derived essential oils as a complete substitute to alcohol by comparing the relative anti-microbial efficacy of EOs with commercially approved ABHS.Efficacy was determined by carrying out quantitative suspension and ex-vivo tests and measuring the reduction in E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. Our preliminary results demonstrated that EOs could potentially be used as a primarily active ingredient to kill bacteria. Future prospect is continuing the study the effect of EOs on other bacterial and potentially viral strains.
1. T. J. Tse, S. K. Purdy, J. Shen, F. B. Nelson, R. Mustafa, D. J. Wiens and M. J. T. Reaney, Toxicology Reports, 2021, 8, 785-792.
2. A. Mahmood, M. Eqan, S. Pervez, H. A. Alghamdi, A. B. Tabinda, A. Yasar, K. Brindhadevi and A. Pugazhendhi, Science of The Total Environment, 2020, 742, 140561.
3. R. Y. Booq, A. A. Alshehri, F. A. Almughem, N. M. Zaidan, W. S. Aburayan, A. A. Bakr, S. H. Kabli, H. A. Alshaya, M. S. Alsuabeyl, E. J. Alyamani and E. A. Tawfik, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021, 18, 6252.
4. K. A. Hammer, C. F. Carson and T. V. Riley, Journal of Applied Microbiology, 1999, 86, 985-990.
Availability
March 31 and April 1; 12-3pm
Testing anti-microbial efficacy of Alcohol- Free Hand Sanitizer (AFHS)
Testing anti-microbial efficacy of Alcohol- Free Hand Sanitizer (AFHS)
Moutasem Seifi, Dr. Bukola Aremu, Dr. Farsheed Raz, Dr. John Trant*
The pandemic highlighted health issues arising from hasty production of poorly purified ethanol to keep up with rising demand of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHS), calling for a need for an alternative anti-microbial reagent. Overuse of lower-grade ethanol products may result in potential skin allergies or irritation or even poisonings from accidental consumption.1, 2 Not only health effects, but the waste from ABHS causes environmental effects when it reaches water, threatening aquatic life as well as disrupting soil infiltration rates on land.1 Essential oils (EOs) have been found to contain anti-microbial properties.3, 4 While not as commercially available as the main reagent, EOs are used to supplement and improve ABHS by moistening the skin from dehydration and add anti-microbial effects. This talk discusses the Trant Team investigation of using naturally derived essential oils as a complete substitute to alcohol by comparing the relative anti-microbial efficacy of EOs with commercially approved ABHS.Efficacy was determined by carrying out quantitative suspension and ex-vivo tests and measuring the reduction in E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. Our preliminary results demonstrated that EOs could potentially be used as a primarily active ingredient to kill bacteria. Future prospect is continuing the study the effect of EOs on other bacterial and potentially viral strains.
1. T. J. Tse, S. K. Purdy, J. Shen, F. B. Nelson, R. Mustafa, D. J. Wiens and M. J. T. Reaney, Toxicology Reports, 2021, 8, 785-792.
2. A. Mahmood, M. Eqan, S. Pervez, H. A. Alghamdi, A. B. Tabinda, A. Yasar, K. Brindhadevi and A. Pugazhendhi, Science of The Total Environment, 2020, 742, 140561.
3. R. Y. Booq, A. A. Alshehri, F. A. Almughem, N. M. Zaidan, W. S. Aburayan, A. A. Bakr, S. H. Kabli, H. A. Alshaya, M. S. Alsuabeyl, E. J. Alyamani and E. A. Tawfik, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021, 18, 6252.
4. K. A. Hammer, C. F. Carson and T. V. Riley, Journal of Applied Microbiology, 1999, 86, 985-990.