WET CHEMICAL PRODUCTION

SANITIZER INDUSTRY

Shalin Kapadi
Riddhi Naik
Vineet Katekar
Ketaki Tathare
Prathamesh Kale
Tejas Bane
Hand Sanitizer Ingredients
Hand gel formulations basically consist of an active ingredient, either an alcohol
or non-alcohol ingredient, a gelling ingredient, conditioner and an antioxidant.

Active Ingredient

The active ingredient is the pharmaceutical ingredient which activates the solution.
In hand sanitizers, it is the component which makes the solution work whether, for
antimicrobial, antiviral or antibacterial effects. There are two main types of active
ingredients which are alcohol and non-alcohol.

Alcohol
The FDA regulates 3 active ingredients for hand sanitizers, 2 of which are
alcohol.When basing formulations from the USP toolkit and WHO, we would
want to create more reliable final concentrations. The active ingredients would be
Ethyl or Isopropyl alcohol introduced in the mixing vessel at a high concentration
of 96% to 99%. Upon blending with other ingredients (humectants and hydrogen
peroxide), the final solution would be 70 to 90% alcohol.

Alcohol-Free
The FDA also regulates the Benzalkonium chloride as an active ingredient for
non-alcohol hand gels. However, Benzalkonium chloride does not kill viruses and
bacteria on the hands.
2. Denaturants:The FDA also specifies another important ingredient which is denaturants. Denaturants are compounds with bitter tastes,
discouraging children from drinking hand sanitizers. The FDA strictly warned manufacturers to add this compound as there have been a lot of
reported cases of children accidentally ingesting hand sanitizers.

3. Humectants:In many cosmetic formulations, you can find humectants. Hair conditioners, facial creams, eye lotions and soaps contain an
ample amount of humectants to nourish the skin surface.Humectants are chemical compounds which give a moisturizing effect on the skin when
the hand sanitizer They hold the water to help prevent the skin from the drying effect of the alcohol. They lubricate, thicken and emulsify the
solution, adding texture and substance to it. The most common humectants are propylene glycol or glycerin.There are two types of humectants
used in making hand sanitizers. These are synthetic and natural humectants. You would find synthetic humectants in hand sanitizer formulations.
Natural humectants, on the other hand, are mostly found in DIY hand sanitizer recipes.These are some examples of synthetic humectants for
hand disinfectants:

● Glycerin
● Tremella extract
● Butylene glycol
● Sorbitol
● Dicyanamide
● Sodium PCA
● Sodium lactate
● Cetyl Alcohol
● Cetearyl Alcohol
● Stearyl Alcohol
Natural Humectants include:
● Aloe Vera – the most common natural humectant in hand sanitizers, which imparts anti-inflammatory properties. It also has anti-acne
properties.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide:The CDC notes that hydrogen peroxide is effective in killing yeasts, bacteria, fungi, spores and viruses. Final
concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in WHO formulation is about 0.125% by volume. These are used in the surfaces only to deactivate
existing germs in the solution before they are used. Too much hydrogen peroxide can cause skin allergies that’s why in some formulations, they do
not exceed 0.5% of the solution.

5. Emollients:Emollients keep the skin nourished. It’s also known to soothe the skin and maintain its healthy quality. There are many types of
emollients found in hand sanitizer formulas. These are:

● Isopropyl myristate
● Aloe vera
● Tocopheryl acetate

6. Carbomer:One of the most common binders in hand sanitizer formulations are Carbomer and aminomethyl propanol. These are considered
emulsifiers which keep the other components from separating. It also helps thicken the solution in gel hand sanitizers.

7. Antioxidant Vitamin:You can frequently find Vitamin E in most alcogel solutions, hand cleansers and many dermatology formulations.
Vitamin E is a form or antioxidant which is fat-soluble, protecting the surface of the skin from the bad effects of solar radiation.

Furthermore, it helps improve skin quality and provides resilience from pollutants. Studies also show that vitamin E can be antitumorigenic and
have photoprotective properties.

8. Conditioner:Conditioners or conditioning agents are added in hand sanitizers to soften the skin. The most common skin conditioner is
Behentrimonium Chloride. This is a plant-based, natural conditioning agent which not only makes the skin smoother, but also acts as a
preservative.
9. Fragrance:Fragrances are not required in hand sanitizer recipes, however, they do add an extra appeal to hand sanitizers. According to Alpha
Aromatics, these are the following fragrances most commonly used found in making scented hand sanitizers:

● Sugared Lime and Citron

● Wisteria Blossom
● Iced Mint Verbena
● Raspberry Seed and Violet
● Cherry Blossom
● Matcha Tea and Aloe
Hand Sanitizer Manufacturing Process
The manufacture of hand sanitizers involve the following processes:

1. Preparation of formulation for a batch size mixing.

2. Hand sanitizer ingredients mixing process.
3. Packaging process which involves three separate processes: Filling, Capping and Labeling
What are the Equipment Needed?
Hand Sanitizer Mixer

This is the equipment used for mixing the ingredients. This can be a
Vacuum Emulsifier, High Shear Mixer or a Powder-liquid Disperser Mixer
which can make small to large batches of hand sanitizer solution.

Hand Sanitizer Filling Machine

This is a machine used for accurately filling container bottles for hand CHEMICAL REACTOR
sanitizers. You have several options such as Liquid Filling Machines and CAPPING MACHINE
Viscous Liquid Filling Machines.

Hand Sanitizer Capping Machine

An automated machine, capping machines can automatically cap bulk hand

sanitizer containers in a matter of an hour. You may have several options
such as Screw Capping Machines, Rotary Vacuum Screw Capping FILLING MACHINE
Machine
FILLING MACHINE
Hand Sanitizer Labeling Machine

Labeling machines can accurately put a brand or emboss a name on your

containers. A variety of options include Pressure Sensitive Labeler, Optical
Laser Printing Machine, Inject Printing Machine LABELLING MACHINE