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Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
James W. Arbogast, Ph.D., joined GOJO in 2002 and currently serves as Vice President of Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements. Prior to his appointment to his current role in 2014, Dr. Arbogast held a variety of technical leadership roles in Skin Care Science, Product Development and New Technology with the company. Before joining GOJO, he gained experience in the consumer products industry with Clorox and Dial.
Dr. Arbogast has been directly involved in the formulation and national launch of hundreds of products in the laundry, air freshening, hair care, skin care, and hand hygiene markets. Under his leadership, the Skin Care Science team has conducted numerous field outcome studies with hand hygiene products to determine their real-world effect on skin condition and infection related rates. Additionally, there have been many contributions to advancing the science of hand hygiene around microbiology, clinical studies, analytical chemistry, drug stability and new product development.
Dr. Arbogast has made presentations at major scientific conferences and has authored multiple articles and patents. Dr. Arbogast, who earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of California at Los Angeles, has more than 25 years of experience in consumer product development with more than the last 20 years focused on skin care. He resides in Bath, Ohio, with his wife and three children. For information on his research, visit his ORCiD.
Proven Risks of Refillable Soap Dispensers
5/24/2023
By Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
When you wash your hands, you expect them to be clean afterwards. Unfortunately, there is a common style of hand soap dispenser that has a high potential to leave your hands germier than before you started. At GOJO, we refer to this style of dispenser as a “refillable bulk” soap dispenser. Instead of having a sealed refill inside the dispenser that gets swapped out when it’s empty, this style of dispenser has an easy opening that someone pours soap into (for example, a hinged lid with a large bottle of soap to top it off). You’ve probably seen them in your daily outings – in public restrooms at rest stops, restaurants, and even schools. There are many different designs, but all have the same inherent risks.
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When to Use Soap vs. Hand Sanitizer
8/11/2020
By Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
Hand hygiene has been a primary tool in keeping the public healthy during this pandemic. Americans are washing their hands more frequently and for longer. Keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to remove germs from your hands, but the overuse of some soaps and water can lead to dry and damaged skin. It’s important to not only keep your skin clean, but also healthy. So, when should you wash your hands and when should you sanitize them?
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Debunking 7 Common Myths About Hand Sanitizer
7/14/2020
By Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers play a role in reducing germs on your hands that may cause illness. In fact, practicing good hand hygiene – handwashing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hands are not visibly soiled – is one of the most effective ways to kill germs that may cause disease.
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3 Reasons Why Ethyl Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers are More Effective
5/13/2020
By Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
Nearly all PURELL® hand sanitizing products are ethyl alcohol-based for one very simple reason: alcohol is the most proven effective germ-killing agent for use on skin. So it’s no wonder that when the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges frequent handwashing, the internationally-respected health organization adds that, “If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.”1,2
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Know the Facts About Antibiotics
11/12/2018
By Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
In observance of Antibiotic Awareness Week taking place from November 12-18, 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) will raise awareness and understanding to the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use among the public, health workers, and policy makers.
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Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Do Not Create Superbugs
8/3/2018
By Jim Arbogast, Ph.D.
Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements Vice President, GOJO Industries
A recent study in Science Translational Medicine is causing concern amongst public health thought leaders because it is misleading, applying results inappropriately to (ethyl) alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The study tested efficacy of isopropanol (isopropyl) alcohol in a 23% concentration, whereby hand sanitizers typically use ethyl alcohol in a 70% concentration.
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