UCLA

The hypothesis was that multiple layers of disposable nitrile gloves would protect longer against 2-butoxyethanol (2-BE) than a single layer relative to standardized breakthrough time (SBRT) and steady state permeation rate (SSPR). Many industries such as aerospace, automotive, recycling, and waste disposal facilities utilize 2-BE. The resistance of disposable blue powder- free nitrile gloves (Kimberly-Clark) against 2-BE was tested in single, double, and triple layers. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Method F739-12 for permeation resistance under continuous contact was used. For each run set, four 1-inch diameter permeation cells (three cells with 10 mL 2-BE as challenge and one air blank (1)) were used with 10 mL deionized water as the collection solvent in a water bath shaken at 72.3 � 0.58 revolution/minute (4.82 � 0.04 cm/second) at 35.0 � 0.5 �C. 0.1 mL aliquots were sampled at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 135, 240, 360, and 480 minutes. Capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC- MS) utilized mass to charge ratios 2-BE at m/z= 57 and 87, and 4-bromophenol (4-BP) internal standard at m/z= 174 (1). The retention times for 2-BE and 4-BP were 4.8 min and 7.9 min. SBRT were found between 5 to 10 minutes for single, between 10 to 20 minutes for double, and between 30 to 40 minutes for triple layers, though thus not statistically different at p≤ 0.050. Single gloving had a rating of ‘poor,’ while double and triple gloving were ‘good,’ based on Kimberly Clark Professional permeation breakthrough time criteria. The other statistically different comparison was for the mass/area permeation at 30 minutes for the triple layer relative to a single layer. The average SSPR were 41.20 � 8.81 μg/cm2/min for single gloving, 48.48 � 55.57 μg/cm2/min for double gloving, and 5.39 � 4.64 μg/cm2/min for triple gloving. Both single and double gloving had a rating of good, and triple gloving had a rating of very good based on Ansell permeation rate criteria for Chemical Resistant Gloves. Thus, multiple layers did tend to prolong SBRT, but only triple layers definitely lowered the SSPR.