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Table 6 Ethanol concentrations in the blood in relation to exposure according to [103]

From: Ethanol is indispensable for virucidal hand antisepsis: memorandum from the alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) Task Force, WHO Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, and the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany

Exposure

Ethanol content in the formulation

Volunteers (n)

Median Baseline (mg/L)

Median maximum blood level (mg/L)a

20 applications of 4 ml hand rub within 30 min, each application 30 s (hygienic hand antisepsis)

95% w/w (gel)

12

0.11

20.95

85%

12

0.07

11.45

55%

12

0.07

6.9

10 applications of 4 ml hand rub, each application 3 min with 5 min break until next application (surgical hand preparation)

95% w/w (gel)

12

0.07

17.5

85%

12

0.07

30.1

55%

12

0.07

8.8

  1. aAfter the last application, the median ethanol concentration in peripheral blood increased gradually and peaked after 30 or 20 min; the highest median is given