Household bleach is typically made from a mixture of water and the chemical sodium hypochlorite. The product is promoted as a "safe" way to disinfectant homes, schools, hospitals and nursing homes. While it is accurate that bleach can reduce surface levels of bacteria and viruses after treatment, scientists are now finding the main chemical in bleach undergoes reactions that form far more toxic chemicals that have not been previously addressed. These chemicals include carbon-tetrachloride and chloroform.

In this study out of Barcelona, Spain, researchers studied homes of over 2000 children ages 6-12 in Spain and Finland. Detailed questionnaires were given to the families inquiring about the use of bleach and frequency of infections including influenza, sinusitis, tonsillitis, ear infections, bronchitis and pneumonia. Results showed that using bleach had an opposite effect of what would be expected and actually increased the rate of influenza by 20% - recurring tonsillitis by 35% - and risk of any infection by 18%. The authors concluded by stating:

"Passive exposure to cleaning bleach in the home may have adverse effects on school-age children's health by increasing the risk of respiratory and other infections. The high frequency of use of disinfecting irritant cleaning products may be of public health concern, also when exposure occurs during childhood."

Centre for Environment and Health
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven
Belgium Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL)
Barcelona, Spain CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP)
Barcelona, Spain University Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain

Researchers tested 15 cleaning products (including household bleach) for levels of toxic chemicals. Chloroform was detected in all 15 products tested and carbon-tetrachloride in 13 products. Both chemicals have been banned and considered highly toxic. After using the products, the estimated exposure for breathing chloroform gas was .041 mg/kg per day and .0240 for carbon-tetrachloride. The scientists concluded by stating:

"According to the calculated result, the total estimated human exposure of chloroform were determined to exceed the tolerable concentration of inhalation exposure presented by the World Health Organization."

This study adds further support to the hypothesis that chemical disinfectants, rather than helping, could be a significant driving factor in worsening the current state of COVID-19 infections via a weakening of the human immune system. Because of the widespread increase in residential chemical disinfectant use since the COVID-19 outbreak, it is imperative to investigate the immuno-toxicology of chemical disinfectants with special emphasis on children, the elderly and those with weakened chemical detoxification systems (i.e. cytochrome P-450). Non-toxic disinfectants being shown to have similar effectiveness to chemical disinfectants should also be encouraged - including basic detergent, low ph white vinegar and thymol.

Sodium hypochlorite is the main disinfectant chemical found in household bleach. This study demonstrated that a number of new and highly toxic chemicals are found in indoor air immediately following the use of bleach to disinfect.

Researchers tested 8 different chlorine bleach products for their ability to emit or create potentially toxic chemicals. Indoor air samples were taken before, during and 30 minutes after bathroom, kitchen, and floor cleaning applications. Of great concern, the highly toxic chemicals chloroform and carbon-tetrachloride significantly increased during the use of bleach containing products.
Researchers went on to state:

"One of the most surprising results was the presence of carbon tetrachloride (a probable human carcinogen and powerful greenhouse gas that was banned for household use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in very high concentrations (up to 101 mg/m(-3). By mixing surfactants or soap with NaOCl (bleach), it was shown that the formation of carbon tetrachloride and several other halogenated VOCs (15 in total), is possible.

Since it is now well established that interferon production by cells lining the inside of our nose, throat and lungs is essential for preventing all viral infections (including COVID-19), the next question is if there are environmental circumstances that can reduce interferon output?

In this next study from the Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Louisiana School of Medicine, researchers pretreated mouse embryo cell cultures with a number of different chemicals. Results showed pretreatment with the chemical chloroform severely inhibited the production of alpha/beta interferon by cells.

Since chloroform gas was shown to reach exceptionally high air levels after use of bleach products (as demonstrated in a previous journal review), this study provides a plausible explanation for the higher rates of influenza (and other infections) found in 6-12 year old children living in homes that use bleach products.

Lymphocytes are the type of white blood cell found in abnormally low numbers in people who develop severe CoronaVirus and have been found low in those who also do not survive Influenza. In this study, researchers wanted to determine how different levels of the chemical sodium hypochlorite (the main chemical in common bleach and some water treatments) affected the chromosomes of lymphocytes. Blood samples were collected from healthy non-smoking adults and added to a culture that encourages the survival and growth of lymphocytes. Blood cultures were exposed to different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite at levels measured in micrograms per milliliter. Levels included - 0.030 - 0.065 - 0.100 - 0.25 - 0.50 - 1 - 2 and 4. In summary, the researchers stated (page 117):

A significant increase in chromosomal aberration (abnormality) frequency was observed in all treatments of NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite).... at 24 and 48 hours compared with the negative control... In conclusion, our data provide evidence that NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite) increases the chromosomal aberration rate, micronuclei formation (small nucleus) and cytotoxicity (cell damage) in human lymphocyte cells in vitro at concentrations approximate 33 times lower than that found in drinking water.

Department of Biology, University of Kafkas, Kars, Turkey

Another group of disinfectants is called Quaternary Ammonium Compounds. These chemicals are used in common commercial and residential disinfectants and do not contain bleach. Researchers at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Virginia became interested in these chemicals after being informed of two separate incidents at two laboratories in which there was an observed decrease in animal health and an increase in neural tube defects after switching to a particular disinfectant. The disinfectants in question contained a combination of two chemicals including alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC) and didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC). To determine if the disinfectants were causing a problem, both mice and rats were divided into groups with some being fed the chemicals, other receiving injections and others being exposed to the chemicals normally in the ambient air. The main findings showed exposure from the ambient air (breathing in fumes) caused more neural tube defects than the other exposure conditions. Also of concern, the rate of neural tube birth defects continued for 2 generations, (thereby suggesting potential for genetic damage). In conclusion the researchers stated,

These results demonstrate that ADBAC+DDAC in combination are teratogenic to rodents. Given the increased use of these disinfectants, further evaluation of their safety in humans and their contribution to health and disease is essential.

Although this study is not related specifically to the CoronaVirus (or other viral infections), it is of concern as this type of disinfectant is being used with much greater frequency during the COVID-19 situation.

As seen in the previous reports, common chemical disinfectants are suspected of weakening the immune system, thereby resulting in higher infection rates for influenza and other pathogens. In this report out of Freiburg University Hospital in Germany, researchers reviewed 4 scientific studies investigating the effectiveness of chemical disinfectants for reducing infection in a hospital setting.

After analyzing results, the study concluded that cleaning of floors with basic detergents was just as effective as using chemical disinfectants.

Scientists concluded by stating:

"None of these studies showed lower infection rates associated with routine disinfection of surfaces (mainly floors) versus cleaning with detergent only... Disinfectants may pose a danger to staff, patients, and the environment and require special safety precautions. However, targeted disinfection of certain environmental surfaces is in certain instances an established component of hospital infection control. Given the complex, multifactorial nature of nosocomial (hospital) infections, well-designed studies that systematically investigate the role of surface disinfection are required."

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