Columbia, MO – Hand sanitizer may increase the body’s absorption of a chemical commonly found on paper receipts and potentially linked to adverse health effects, according to a new University of Missouri study.
Bisphenol A is widely used as a print developer on a variety of receipts, including those from fast food restaurants and ATMs. As part of the study, researchers asked participants to clean their hands with sanitizer, handle receipts and then eat french fries.
Individuals who held the receipt for 60 seconds immediately after using hand sanitizer had 185 times more BPA transferred to their hands than individuals with dry hands.
Previous studies have tied BPA exposure to reproductive defects and other health problems.
The study was published Oct. 22 in the journal PLOS ONE.
