Biological Mechanisms of Hand Sanitizers

Ethanol has been used as a hand sanitizer since 1880, it is by far one of the most popular antibacterial product. The mechanism through which it kills microorganism is possible through the amphiphile characteristics of alcohols. This characteristic that ethanol is  both hydrophilic and lipophilic allows it to disarrange water-based membranes and their protein structures. This means that it is especially effective against viruses and bacterias that are single-walled. 

 

When being exposed to ethanol, the cell membrane weakens, it starts to leak. Also with weakening the cellular membrane alcohol can reach essential components of the bacterium, the proteins. The damage caused on the structure of the proteins is fatal to the bacterium. After the ethanol molecules bind to the amino acid acids in protein, it loses its original structure, it is denatured, thus it will be unable to carry out its function.