Green Hand Sanitizer Formulation for Sustainable Development

Abstract

We are currently suffering a global pandemic of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2 or, in short, COVID-19. Hand washing and hand sanitizers are important tools decreasing the spread of germs. There is an urgent need to improve the efficiency of hand sanitizer use and increase the use of hand sanitizers during the pandemic; the use of hand sanitizers is one of numerous tools to try to stop contamination by COVID-19. With worldwide focus on increasing the use of hand sanitizers, creating a formula for hand sanitizers that is sustainable and with no fossil fuel derivatives is urgent and timely. Sustainability is one persuasive factor to reduce the use of fossil fuels, and thus, the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, preventing climate change. Specifically, the objective of this project is to create a hand sanitizer formulation for sustainable development without any petroleum derived polymers. This type of formulation may not only decrease the carbon footprint, but also help prevent contamination and transmission of COVID-19. Methylcellulose (MC), a chemical compound derived from cellulose, was used to create a viable alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is devoid of petroleum derived polymers. The research experiments focused on characterizing the green hand sanitizers in terms of viscosity, storage and loss moduli, and surface tension. This research gave me a comprehensive frame of reference regarding how to create a viable hand sanitizer using MC by further specifying fluid properties. Hand sanitizers created with MC can decrease environmental complications related to excess use of petroleum derivatives.