Antibacterial Activity of Turpentine (Pinus merkusii) and Sweet Orange (Citrus sinnensis) Essential Oils Combination in Gel Hand Sanitizer on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli
Nanik Wijayati1a), Nuh Sapta Nugraha1, Sri Mursiti1, Nur Dina Amalina1, Retno Ariadi Lusiana2

1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia

Abstract

Hand sanitizer is known as an antiseptic which is applied to the palms for the purpose of removing bacteria. The alcohol contained in hand sanitizers may usually cause skin irritation. Thus, alcohol-free hand sanitizer is safer to use on the palms of the hands. Turpentine (Pinus merkusii) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) essential oils have been considered as natural ingredients that are more likely to be used as antiseptics. This research was conducted to analyze the antibacterial activity of the combination of turpentine and sweet orange essential oils in hand sanitizer gel preparations against S.aureus and E.coli bacteria. The methods in the research included distillation of sweet orange essential oil, preparation of hand sanitizer gel and tests of antibacterial activity. Turpentine essential oil was found to have a specific gravity of 0.86 g/mL, while the specific gravity of sweet orange essential oil was amounted to 0.85 g/mL. In the antibacterial activity test, pure oil showed that F4 (1:2) had the highest antibacterial activity against S. aureus bacteria with an inhibition zone of 7.67 mm, and F1 (1:0) had the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli bacteria with an inhibition zone of 12.33 mm. As for the hand sanitizer gel preparation, F3 (2:1) was indicated to have the highest antibacterial activity against S. aureus bacteria with an inhibition zone of 6.67 mm, and F1 (1:0) had the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli bacteria with an inhibition zone of 11 mm. Referring to the test results, pure turpentine and sweet orange essential oils or those that had been used as hand sanitizer gel were found to have antibacterial activity. The results of the physical evaluation showed that all hand sanitizer gel formulas had met the physical quality standards.

Keywords: Hand sanitizer- Sweet orange- Turpentine- essential oil, antibabterial

Topic: Optimization Research Based on Local Resources