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Transport of a Solvent Mixture Across Two Glove Materials When Applied in a Paint Matrix

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Abstract

The transport of mixed paint solvents through natural rubber latex (4 mil) and nitrile rubber (5 mil) gloves was evaluated after spray application of the paint formulation directly on the glove surface. Glove materials and thicknesses were those selected by the majority of spray painters in the local automobile repair industry. A flat panel containing glove specimens mounted in multiple permeation cells permitted evaporation of solvents from the applied paint and incorporated a solid sorbent receiving medium for measuring glove membrane transport. The panel was sprayed in a paint booth to simulate use conditions. Charcoal cloth under the glove adsorbed transported solvents, which were quantified by gas chromatography. For each solvent component, results were expressed as mass transported through the glove relative to the mass applied, per unit area, during 30 min after spray application. The paint formulation contained ketones, acetates, and aromatics. Natural rubber latex allowed 6–10 times the transport of solvents relative to nitrile rubber for all eight solvent components: methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, styrene, ethyl benzene, xylene isomers, and 2-heptanone. m-Xylene showed the largest difference in transport between the two glove materials. This solvent also had the highest transport for each material. The results indicate that nitrile rubber gloves offer somewhat greater chemical resistance to all eight solvents studied compared with natural rubber latex gloves, regardless of the chemical properties of the individual solvent components. However, it must be emphasized that neither of the glove materials, in the thicknesses used in this study, provide adequate protection when exposed by direct spray painting. Simulation of realistic spray conditions may offer a source of useful information on the performance of chemical protective gloves because it accounts for solvent evaporation and the effect of paint polymerization after application on glove transport.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington and by Chevron Environmental, Inc. The latter did not participate in the design or execution of the study or in the preparation of this manuscript. The authors thank all personnel for their assistance in conducting the experiments (Emmett Connelly, Byron Jennings, Carolyn R. Whitaker, and Todd Schoonover from the Washington Department of Labor and Industries). We are grateful to the spray-painting facilities and the professional spray-painters in lending their valuable time and knowledge. Special thanks in particular to the University of Washington Environmental Health Laboratory (Maureen Cornell-Endres and Jianbo Yu) for chemical analysis and advice on experimental method procedures.

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Author notes

  1. Diana M. Ceballos

    Present address: Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, 45213, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-7234, USA

    Jackelin Q. Tran, Diana M. Ceballos, Russell L. Dills, Michael G. Yost & Michael S. Morgan

  2. F-225B Health Sciences, P.O. Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98195-7234, USA

    Michael S. Morgan

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  1. Jackelin Q. Tran
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  2. Diana M. Ceballos
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  3. Russell L. Dills
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  4. Michael G. Yost
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  5. Michael S. Morgan
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Correspondence to Michael S. Morgan.

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Tran, J.Q., Ceballos, D.M., Dills, R.L. et al. Transport of a Solvent Mixture Across Two Glove Materials When Applied in a Paint Matrix. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 63, 169–176 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9758-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9758-3

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