Did you know: Facts About Triclosan

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Triclosan, an anti-bacterial fighting agent used widely in home products such as antibacterial hand-soap, toothpaste, laundry detergents, deodorants, fabric softeners, cosmetics and many other home products. Here some facts about triclosan you should know

- Triclosan, the leading germ-fighting compound in antimicrobial soaps, acts by destroying enzymes in bacteria cell walls so they cannot replicate; it targets the same enzyme as the antibiotic isoniazid, used to treat tuberculosis.

- In the United States, 75 percent of liquid soaps and nearly 30 percent of bar soaps now contain triclosan and other germ- fighting compounds, whose prevalence can foster the growth of bacterial resistance.

- A 2002 study by the U.S. Geological Survey found that triclosan and phthalates from antibacterial soaps and other detergents were polluting water bodies across the U.S. in low concentrations through waste water.


- Reports have suggested that triclosan can combine with chlorine in tap water to form chloroform gas, which the United States Environmental Protection Agency classifies as a probable human carcinogen. As a result, triclosan was the target of a UK cancer alert, even though the study showed that the amount of chloroform generated was less than amounts often present in chlorinated drinking waters.


- Tricolsan's widespread use increases the chances of harmful bacteria becoming resistant to the drug


- Triclosan can react with other chemicals to form dioxin and chloroform, which are known to be toxic


So choose your home products wisely. There are so many choices out there that you can avoid using triclosan-contained products. Plain soap and water are enough to fight germs and bacteria.

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