Increased use of sanitizers and disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic: identification of antimicrobial chemicals and considerations for aquatic environmental contamination

作者：Sarah C. Marteinson, Michael Lawrence, Zofia E. Taranu, Kerri Kosziwka, Jessica J. Taylor, Alexandria Green, Amanda K. Winegardner, Trina Rytwinski, Jessica L. Reid, Cory Dubetz, Judith Leblanc, Michal Galus, Steven J. Cooke · 发表于：Environmental Reviews · 年份：2022 · DOI：10.1139/er-2022-0035 · 被引用次数：54 · 研究领域：Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts、Antimicrobial agents and applications、SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been an increased need for personal and environmental decontamination to aid in curbing transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Products used for this purpose include sanitizers for hands and disinfectants for surfaces. The active chemical ingredients used in these products, termed antimicrobials, can enter waste streams after application and may be emerging as more prominent environmental contaminants. Even prior to COVID-19, there was recognized need to examine their implications for aquatic biota, which is now made more pressing due to their exaggerated use in response to the pandemic. Our objectives were to identify current antimicrobial active ingredients, quantify their increased use, and determine which may be candidates for further consideration as possible aquatic contaminants. By consulting multiple sources of publicly available information in Canada, we identified current-use antimicrobials from the lists of sanitizers and surface disinfectants approved for use against SARS-CoV-2 by Health Canada and the drug registration database. To estimate the use of sanitizers and disinfectants, we evaluated import quantities and grocery store retail sales of related compounds and products (Statistics Canada) and both lines of evidence supported increased use trends. The list of identified antimicrobials was refined to include only candidates with potential to reach aquatic ecosystems, and information on their environ...