BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING ON THE EFFICIENCY OF DIFFERENT BRANDS OF 70% ALCOHOL IN DISINFECTION OF MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY SURFACES IN PANDEMIC TIMES (Atena Editora)

Abstract

With the Covid-19 pandemic and the hygiene measures established by health bodies, such as the use of 70% alcohol in hand and surface hygiene, the product was out of stock in the market. In the urgency of measures that promote the adaptation of companies to production to reestablish its availability, the Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO) had to define new regulations for production, labeling and sale. The new measures allow production without registration with ANVISA and without the certificates, previously mandatory, on the labels. In addition to allowing the sale of the product at 70% in markets and pharmacies, prohibited since 2002. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to test the efficiency of different brands of 70% alcohol in liquid and gel presentation after the new ANVISA and INMETRO The products were tested against bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in the cleaning of benches in the UNIFESO Microbiology laboratory. Ten brands of 70% alcohol in liquid presentation and ten brands in gel were analyzed. The labels were analyzed, taking into account the safety aspects that are still mandatory. Brand alcoholmetry was performed in liquid presentation. In both presentations, products were found to be inefficient for the bacteria tested and with irregularities in the labeling. A brand in the liquid presentation had lower alcohol content than described on the label. This indicates the need for inspection by the competent bodies in the production and sale of 70% alcohol.