Hemantha Withanage
Centre for Environmental Justice
We see that many people use Dettol and Lysol as disinfectants for sanitising against COVID 19 virus without understanding the toxicity of the chemical. As written by P.K. Gupta, in Fundamentals of Toxicology, 2016 both Dettol and Lysol contain Carbolic acid also known as phenol. Following is the excerpts of his work.
Carbolic acid is a poison that can be identified by its smell, which is commonly referred to as a phenolic odor or hospital odor. Pure phenol has a colorless, short, prismatic, needle-shaped, crystalline form. On exposure to air, it turns pink and liquefies. It is fat-soluble; therefore, it can attack the nervous system. It is also soluble in glycerin, ether, and alcohol, and it is slightly soluble in water. It is known specifically for its antiseptic or disinfectant property.
Other members of phenol group: Phenol has several derivates, namely, cresol, creosote, lysol, and dettol. These are absorbed orally, through intact skin, by the GI tract, through inhalation by the respiratory tract, per rectum, and per vaginum. The toxicological actions of these compounds are similar to phenol but less severe.
Þ Cresol is a methyl phenol with meta, ortho, and para isomers. It is used as a disinfectant and antiseptic.
Þ Creosote is a mixture of phenols consisting mainly of cresol and guiacol. It is used as a household remedy for coughs and is found in many proprietary preparations.
Þ Resorcinol is a colorless crystalline substance used for the treatment of various skin diseases, including ringworm, psoriasis, and eczema.
Þ Lysol is a 50% solution of cresol (3-methyl phenol) in saponified vegetable oil.
Þ Thymol is an alkyl derivative of phenol obtained from volatile oils of Thymus vulgaris, Monarda punctata, or Trachyspermum ammi. It occurs in colorless crystals with a characteristic pungent odor and taste. Previously, it was used as an antihelminthic (for ankylostomiasis), antifungal, and antiseptic.
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They are not to spray unwisely. They have
• Low concern on Skin Allergy and irritation,
• Moderate concern on Asthma, Cancer and environment while
• High concern on developmental and reproductive toxicity.
• It’s potentially harmful for developmental, endocrine, reproduction health including damage to DNA.
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Please beware over usage and unprotective usage of Dettol, Lysol or other brand names in this family. It may slowly harm your body system unnoticed.
Centre for Environmental Justice
20A, Kuruppu Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka
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