Evaluation of glove material resistance to ethylene glycol dimethyl ether permeation

Some glycol ethers have been reported to cause adverse reproductive effects in exposed male and female workers, and skin absorption has been determined to be an important route of entry of this class of chemicals. Because ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (EGDME) is a possible component of lithium-based primary battery electrolyte systems, a study was undertaken to determine the resistance of various commercially available gloves to permeation of this liquid. The gloves were tested by the ASTM Method F-739-81, and butyl rubber was found to be the most effective barrier to permeation. Further studies determined that the butyl gloves could be reused if they were reconditioned overnight in a vacuum oven at 50 degrees C. When a mixture of ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (30% v/v) and propylene carbonate (70% v/v) was tested, the results indicated that the propylene carbonate retards the permeation of the glycol ether by a factor of 10. This is believed to be caused by the propylene carbonate coating the surface of the butyl membrane to reduce the sorption of EGDME.