A biotechnologist, Prof Floretta Tasie has cautioned against the use of methanol for producing hand sanitizers especially during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Tasie, who is the Director, Biotech Research Center of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), gave the warning in Enugu on Wednesday.
According to her, methanol is unhealthy because it is toxic and cancerous.
”Stop using it because it’s not helping the masses. Use ethanol instead,” she said.
The Biotech professor said that each hand sanitizer must contain at least 75 per cent of ethanol to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) standard.
Tasie listed other ingredients for production of hand sanitizers to include isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerin and thickener.
She disclosed that the ESUT Biotech Center had commenced production of hand sanitizers to complement governments efforts in curbing the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The director said the sanitizers would be sold to the public at very subsidized rates.
Tasie however, appealed to government, corporate bodies and philanthropists to support the center in mass production of the sanitizers.
