Toxicology and Health Effects of Antimicrobials

If someone has been exposed to an antimicrobial, review the First Aid Statement on the product label. If it is a medical emergency, call the Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222 for emergency treatment information. If you have questions or concerns about antimicrobial products, call NPIC for information at 800-858-7378.

Do you use or handle disinfectants at work? Watch our video for tips on how to avoid exposures and keep minimize your risk.

Learn more about:

Disinfectants, Sanitizers, and Antimicrobial Products

Regulating Antimicrobials

Selecting an Antimicrobial Product

Antimicrobials for Pathogens

Food Processing, Pools, and Drinking Water Systems

NPIC Disinfectant Resources

Additional Resources:

• Consumer Product Information Database - DeLima Associates
• Registration Review Schedules: Antimicrobials - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Hazardous Substances Data Bank - National Library of Medicine
• Antibacterial Household Products: Cause for Concern - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• National Pesticide Information Retrieval System (NPIRS) - Purdue University
• Toxic Substances Portal - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• Occupational Safety and Health Topics: Chemicals - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• RMPP: Disinfectants - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Glutaraldehyde - Occupational Hazards in Hospitals - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Safety and Health Topic: Glutaraldehyde - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Safety and Health Topic: Chlorine - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Chlorine Fact Sheet - Wisconsin Department of Health Services

If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.