Category Archives: Advisory

ICP Head Office Preventive Measures During the General Community Quarantine

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Please be advised of the following measures that the ICP will be implementing at its head office in Mandaluyong City during the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) starting 1 June 2020:

• The online application for your ICP membership and online purchase of your chemist seal and other merchandise shall still continue. However, please expect a delay in the delivery of the membership card, chemist seal, or other merchandise especially to areas where strict movement orders are still in place.

• Due to physical distancing regulations, the picking up of your membership card and/or chemist seal, or claiming of unclaimed official receipts, certificates, and other relevant materials at the ICP head office is temporarily suspended. To facilitate the delivery of these items, contact Ms Julie Trinidad (ICP office secretary) at: integratedchemists@gmail.com, (02) 8635-3575, or (0907) 751 7121. Do note that the delivery fee for any of the aforementioned items will NOT be shouldered by the ICP.

• In case there will be events organized by the ICP, interested participants opting to pay directly at the ICP head office (whether by cash or check) will NOT be accommodated. To follow physical distancing regulations, payment to ICP events must be remitted through bank deposit or online transfer.

These measures shall be enforced until the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, or until the national government lifts the GCQ status over the National Capital Region. Thank you for your understanding.

On the Preparation of Disinfectants and Other Chemicals

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(English Translation)

Official Statement of the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) Regarding the Preparation of Disinfectants and Other Chemicals

Many individuals, including chemists, have taken the initiative to assist in COVID-19 efforts by preparing alcohol and other disinfectant products. While we support your initiative, we, as chemists, have a special responsibility to ensure that the solutions that we prepare meet the right specifications that ensure their efficacy and safety. In particular:

• Regarding ethanol and isopropanol: from analytical data that we have obtained by gas chromatography (GC), many of the technical grade ethanol and isopropanol products sold by chemical suppliers may contain high levels of methanol or are below the claimed concentration. You should obtain your alcohols from reliable sources only. If in doubt, have the raw material analyzed by GC or ask for a certificate of analysis.

• Hypochlorite is an industrial product and may contain impurities. It may be adulterated by unscrupulous dealers. There are standard methods of chemical analysis for hypochlorite. Also, ensure that your product is used to disinfect objects and is not used on people.

• Consult only reliable sources for technical information and observe restrictions set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and relevant Philippine government agencies.

(Pagsasalin sa Filipino)

Opisyal na Pahayag ng ICP Tungkol sa Pagtimpla ng Mga Disinfectant at Iba Pang Produkto

May mga tao, kabilang ang ilang mga kimiko, na kusang umaalalay sa ilang mga pagsisikap upang labanan ang COVID-19 sa pamamagitan ng pagtimpla ng rubbing alcohol at iba pang produkto na makapupuksa ng mikrobyo. Habang sinusuportahan namin ang mga hangaring ito, kami, bilang mga kimiko, ay may natatanging tungkulin upang masiguro na ang tinitimpla naming mga produkto ay tugma sa itinakdang antas ng bisa at ligtas ring gamitin.

• Tungkol sa ethyl alcohol at isopropyl alcohol: Mula sa datos na nakalap namin gamit ang gas chromatography (GC), karamihan sa mga technical grade na ethanol at isopropanol na binebenta ng mga chemical supplier ay naglalaman ng mataas na antas ng methanol o kaya'y hindi man lang umabot sa isinaad na tapang. Upang maiwasan ito, siguruhing maaasahan ang inyong pagkukuhanan. Kung kaduda-duda ang iyong nabiling produkto, ipasuri ito gamit ang GC o humingi ng certificate of analysis.

• Ang hypochlorite ay isang kemikal na ginagamit sa industriya at maaaring naglalaman ito ng karumihan. Maaaring pang maglagay ng mga hindi kanais-nais na sangkap ang mga nagbebenta nito upang makalinlang. Mayroong mga tamang pamamaraan upang masuri ang kalidad ng hypochlorite. Siguruhin din na ang mga produktong naglalaman nito ay nakalaan lamang gamiting panlinis ng mga bagay, at hindi ng mga tao.

• Sumangguni lamang sa maaasahang mga pagkukunan ng impormasyon tungkol dito at sunding mabuti ang mga inilahad na utos ng WHO at mga angkop na ahensya ng pamahalaan.

Hand Sanitizers Require 70% Ethanol

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(English Translation)

Over the past few days, a number of YouTube and Facebook posts have appeared proposing the use of various distilled alcoholic products (such as lambanog, rhum, vodka) with bleach (made of hypochlorite) as hand sanitizer. The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) wishes to inform the public that such alcoholic products contain only about 40% alcohol and lack the concentration needed for a hand sanitizer. In addition, hypochlorite can cause skin irritation and inflammation.

Such products which are below the required 70% alcohol concentration should NOT BE USED as hand sanitizer. The preparation of hand sanitizers using bleach or hypochlorite should be done by trained professionals, such as chemists, pharmacists, chemical engineers, or medical technologists.

(Pagsasalin sa Filipino)

Nitong nakaraang mga araw, may naglipanang mga video sa Youtube at Facebook na naglalahad kung paano gamitin ang ilang mga produktong naglalaman ng alkohol (tulad ng lambanog, rhum, at vodka) at hinahaluan ng bleach (na gawa sa hypochlorite) upang maging hand sanitizer. Nais ipabatid ng ICP na ang mga nabanggit na produktong naglalaman ng alkohol ay kinasasangkapan ng 40% na alkohol lamang, na sadyang mahina upang gawing hand sanitizer. Ang hypochlorite naman ay nagdudulot ng pangangati at pamamaga ng balat.

Ang mga produktong may mas mababa sa 70% na sangkap na alkohol ay HINDI MAAARING GAMITIN bilang hand sanitizer. Samantala, ang pagtitimpla ng mga hand sanitizer gamit ang bleach o hypochlorite ay maaari lamang gawin ng mga tao na may sapat na pagsasanay tulad ng mga chemist, pharmacist, chemical engineer, o medical technologist.

Do NOT Use Industrial Chemicals for Hand Sanitizers

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(English Translation)

Official Statement of the ICP Regarding Viral "Do-It-Yourself" Disinfectants on Social Media

Over the past few days, some proposals have appeared on social media suggesting ways by which people can prepare their own hand disinfectant solutions using industrial chemicals, such as denatured alcohol, hypochlorite, and others.

The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) discourages such practices because these can cause harm and may not be suitable for the intended use.

• Industrial chemicals are often very concentrated and require professional handling with personal protective equipment.

• Industrial chemicals are not meant for human use and may contain impurities which are harmful or carcinogenic.

(Pagsasalin sa Filipino)

Opisyal na Pahayag ng ICP Hinggil sa Kumakalat na "Do-It-Yourself" na mga Panlinis sa Social Media

Nitong nakaraang mga araw, lumabas ang ilang mga post sa social media na naglalahad kung paano magtimpla ang isang tao ng kani-kanilang mga disinfectant solution na ginagamitan ng mga kemikal na nakalaan lamang sa industriya, tulad ng denatured alcohol, hypochlorite, at iba pa.

Hindi hinihikayat ng Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) ang mga naturang panukala dahil maaari pa itong makasama sa kalusugan ng sinumang gagamit nito at maaaring hindi rin ito angkop para sa sinasabing paggagamitan.

• Ang mga kemikal na pang-industriya ay kalimitang sobrang matapang at kinakailangang bihasa ang tao na gagamit nito na may sapat na pananggalang.

• Ang mga kemikal na pang-industriya ay hindi nakalaan para gamitin sa tao, at maaari pang may nilalamang makapipinsala ng katawan o maging sanhi ng malubhang karamdaman tulad ng kanser.

80-Proof Alcohol is Not Suitable for Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer

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(English translation)

80-proof alcohol is only equal to 40% alcohol

A minimum of 60% alcohol is needed for antibacterial effect

News articles appearing on March 16, 2020, reported that lambanog, which is about 80-proof alcohol, can be used as an alternative for rubbing alcohol as disinfectant.

The ICP wishes to advise the public that this claim is based on incorrect information.

  • 80-proof alcohol is equivalent to only about 40% ethanol
  • A minimum of 60% ethanol is needed for an antibacterial effect
  • Therefore, 80-proof lambanog should NOT be used as an antibacterial product

(Pagsasalin sa Filipino)

Ang 80-proof alkohol ay katumbas lamang ng 40% alkohol

Kinakailangang 60% o higit pa ang alkohol na sangkap upang makapuksa ng mga mikrobyo

May mga balitang lumabas noong ika-16 ng Marso na inuulat na ang lambanog, na gawa sa 80-proof na alkohol, ay maaaring gawing alternatibo sa rubbing alcohol bilang panlinis ng mga bagay-bagay.

Nais ipabatid ng ICP sa madla na ang balitang ito ay base sa maling impormasyon:

  • Ang 80-proof alkohol ay katumbas lamang ng 40% alkohol;
  • Kinakailangang 60% o higit pa ang alkohol na sangkap upang makapuksa ng mga mikrobyo;
  • Sumakatuwid, ang lambanog na 80-proof ay HINDI MAAARING gawing panlinis ng mga bagay-bagay.

Reference / Sanggunian: Reynolds, Levy and Walker. Emerging Infectious Diseases Vol. 12, No. 3, March 2006. Downloaded from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291447/pdf/05-0955.pdf