Dermal absorption of isopropyl alcohol from a commercial hand rub: implications for its use in hand decontamination.

Isopropyl alcohol-containing hand rubs are widely used in healthcare for hand decontamination. Ten healthy adult volunteers applied a commercially available isopropyl alcohol-containing hand rub to their hands every 10 min over a 4 h period. Blood isopropyl alcohol levels were measured at the beginning and end of the study. At the end of the study, measurable blood isopropyl alcohol levels (range 0.5-1.8 mg/l) were recorded in nine subjects. We confirmed that isopropyl alcohol could be absorbed through the intact skin of adult humans. The social and medical implications are discussed.