A new study warns that certain cleaning products that became high-use during the COVID-19 pandemic may be doing more harm than good.
Researchers highlighted that cleaning products containing something called quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) may be connected to asthma, dermatitis and inflammation in humans.
Experts say that soap and water, as well as cleaning products that don鈥檛 include these chemicals, are safer to reach for, and are recommending better regulation of QACs.
The study, published Monday in the , reviewed scientific literature performed both before and after the start of the pandemic and found that the use of products containing QACs has been on the rise and are lacking in proper regulation and research.
鈥淒isinfectant wipes containing QACs are often used on children鈥檚 school desks, hospital exam tables, and in homes where they remain on these surfaces and in the air,鈥� Courtney Carignan, a co-author and assistant professor at Michigan State University, said in a press release. 鈥淥ur review of the science suggests disinfecting with these chemicals in many cases is unhelpful or even harmful. We recommend regular cleaning with soap and water and disinfecting only as needed with safer products.鈥�
QACs are a very common class of chemicals, used in numerous products as antimicrobials, preservatives and softening agents, as well as providing the active ingredient for many cleaning and disinfecting products.
They鈥檙e very commonly found in disinfecting wipes, a cleaning tool that saw a spike in use at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers sought to make their spaces as safe as possible.
Since 2020, research has established that COVID-19 is an airborne virus, and does not spread easily merely through touching a contaminated surface. But many are still disinfecting surfaces at a higher level than pre-pandemic, researchers suggested, and may be unaware that some of the common products they鈥檙e reaching for could pose health concerns.
鈥淒espite widespread use and environmental releases of QACs to the environment, most QACs have not undergone rigorous regulatory assessment for potential adverse human and ecological health effects,鈥� researchers wrote in the study.
In their review of the existing scientific literature about QACs, researchers found that these chemicals persist in our wastewater and leach into our environment. Some studies have shown that many QACs are 鈥渕oderately to highly toxic鈥� for some species of fish, but researchers noted that research is lacking in QACs impact on terrestrial organisms.
When it comes to humans, however, there appears to be a clear link between QACs and negative health outcomes, the study found.
鈥淭hese products that we use sit on the surfaces that we鈥檙e cleaning, and they stay there for a while 鈥� think about a child鈥檚 classroom where everything is being wiped down 鈥� and they鈥檙e also in the air, and the question is: can they be harmful to our health?鈥� CTV Medical Expert Dr. Marla Shapiro said in an interview with 麻豆传媒 Channel on Tuesday. 鈥淪o this is a study that looked at exactly that.鈥�
Researchers combed through studies looking at the effects of chronic exposure to QACs, and found that exposure could be linked to increased risk of certain health problems.
鈥淭hink about the fact that you鈥檙e inhaling some of these compounds because they鈥檙e sitting on surfaces. So they have been linked to quite a few health problems,鈥� Shapiro said. 鈥淔or example, some of the health problems that we see are things like asthma, for example, because you鈥檙e inhaling these compounds, dermatitis because they鈥檙e going on your hands.鈥�
One study included in this new review found that nurses with a high-level of exposure to disinfectants and cleaning products were significantly more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Shapiro added that some studies, as this new review also mentions, have tracked 鈥減otential links to fertility and infertility and birth defects,鈥� associated with QAC exposure. These links have mostly been observed in animal studies thus far.
Those with high exposure risk to QACs include workers who manufacture cleaning products and those in medical, housekeeping or cleaning jobs, as well as school staff. Researchers also found that children may experience a higher exposure to QACs than the average adult because children are more likely to put their hand in their mouth after touching an unknown surface.
Another factor that concerns experts is that these chemicals may be contributing to antimicrobial resistance, an issue in which our tools to fight bacteria grow increasingly weaker due to overuse. This new research cited one study where after soil microbial communities were exposed to a specific QAC, it resulted in several antimicrobial genes growing in strength and abundance.
鈥淪o in a sense they鈥檙e not helping at all, and they鈥檙e teaching the bacteria to be resistant to these particular chemicals,鈥� Shapiro said.
The increase in QAC use was an issue even before the pandemic, according to researchers.
In the U.S., researchers theorized this was because they are frequent replacements for many active ingredients that were banned in hand and body washes by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2016.
They are found all throughout Canada鈥檚 industries as well.
In accordance with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, Canada on how many QACs were found in goods manufactured and imported in Canada in 2017. They received data on around 800 QACs present across multiple industries, with the top industries being cosmetics, beauty supplies and perfume stores; chemical and allied product merchant wholesalers; toilet preparation manufacturing; soap and cleaning compound manufacturing; and toiletries, cosmetics and sundries merchant wholesalers.
There were more than 10 million kilograms of substances that fall under QACs in laundry and dishwashing products in Canada alone in 2017,
In light of the worrying data surrounding QACs, researchers are recommending that QAC use is eliminated in products where it is unnecessary or the effectiveness hasn鈥檛 been proven, and that regulations around QAC disclosure in products are strengthened.
鈥淒rastically reducing many uses of QACs won鈥檛 spread COVID-19,鈥� Carol Kwiatkowski, a co-author and scientist at the Green Science Policy Institute, said in the release. 鈥淚n fact, it will make our homes, classrooms, offices, and other shared spaces healthier.鈥�
So how do you tell if your cleaning products contain QACs?
Shapiro said that a common QAC found in cleaning products that consumers can look out for is benzalkonium chloride, and that labels may have other chemicals listed that end in 鈥渁mmonium chloride鈥� or something similar.
鈥淵ou can recognize these because they (often) have the name ammonia in them,鈥� she said.
Those who are concerned should know that not all cleaning products contain QACs.
鈥淪o there are options. Firstly, remember soap and water? Soap and water is probably one of the best disinfectants that we can use,鈥� Shapiro said.
The study鈥檚 press release also included a list of safer cleaning products assessed by the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) with the University of Massachusetts Lowell which consumers can turn to instead of products containing QACs:
SAFER PRODUCTS
Antibacterial All-Purpose Cleaner - Method Products Inc
Arm and Hammer Essentials - CR Brands Inc.
Comet Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner - The Proctor & Gamble Company
Lysol® Bathroom Cleaner - Reckitt Benckiser LLC
Lysol® Neutra Air® 2 in 1 - Reckitt Benckiser LLC
Purell Professional Surface Disinfectant - GOJO Industries Inc
Kaboom - Church & Dwight Company Inc
Clorox Commercial Solutions® Clorox® Disinfecting Biostain & Odor Remover - Clorox Professional Products Company
Lysol Multi-Purpose Cleaners - Reckitt Benckiser LLC
Clorox Pet Solutions Advanced Formula Disinfecting Stain & Odor Remover - The Clorox Company
Envirocleanse A - Envirocleanse LLC
Cleansmart - Simple Science Limited
Scrubbing Bubbles - S.C. Johnson & Son Inc
Windex Disinfectant Cleaner - S.C. Johnson & Son Inc
Force of Nature Activator Capsule - HCl Cleaning Products LLC
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The full list, including commercial, institution and industrial use products as well as residential use, can
TURI notes that products are included on the list based on whether their active ingredient is one that is considered safer, and that they do not 鈥渆ndorse any specific products or vendors.鈥�
