Chemical resistance and structural integrity of protective glove materials

Abstract

Liquid-proof gloves are a critical component of protective clothing for workers who handle toxic liquid chemicals. Gloves must exhibit chemical barrier characteristics, physical, and chemical integrity and not hinder dexterity. Selection of chemical protective gloves presents intricate problems because many parameters are involved. Chemical permeation tests provide the most rigorous of all chemical resistance tests and measure the diffusion of chemical vapor on a molecular level, but do not adequately take degradation of the material into account. When liquidsplash protection is the main concern, hazards from vapor contact are minimum, and prolonged contact of a gloved hand with the chemical is expected; liquid-penetration testing is a viable method of screening glove materials. However, physical integrity and chemical-degradation resistance in conjunction with chemical penetration-resistance testing provides a clearer picture of the performance of glove materials.

Organophosphorus pesticide exposure in agriculture: effects of temperature, ultraviolet light and abrasion on PVC gloves

“…Heat and sunlight have been reported to cause degradation of PVC glove materials, i.e. surface topographic and elemental changes, loss of strength, elastic properties and puncture resistance 6 , 15 ) . Although the properties were not tested in the present study, the findings are in agreement with a previous study where exposure of natural rubber gloves to UV-A radiation enhanced permeability of 2,4-D, although no effect was observed on the permeation of DDT 5 ) .…”

“…Significant exposures are possible depending on the task, chemical properties and environmental conditions. However, there are few studies of the influence of temperature, UV or abrasion, especially with regard to PVC gloves 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ) .…”

Dermal in vitro penetration of methiocarb, paclobutrazol, and pirimicarb: effect of nonylphenolethoxylate and protective gloves.

“…The protective abilities of glove materials against pesticides are often evaluated in experimental models using the glove material as the only barrier membrane, and penetration rates and breakthrough times of active ingredients as well as commercial formulations are reported (6,7,9,10). In general, natural rubber shows the least resistance to permeation, whereas nitrile and similar materials demonstrate the highest resistance (11)(12)(13). Data from more complete in vitro systems involving glove material situated on top of a skin membrane for prolonged exposure periods are seldom available.…”