Permeation through five commercially available glove materials by two pentachlorophenol formulations

Five glove materials were tested for permeation by two commonly used formulations of pentachlorophenol (PCP). Permeation was conducted using the method used in two prior studies by NIOSH. The lower limit of PCP quantitation in the receiving side of the permeation cell was 70 parts per billion (ppb). When challenged with a 4.3% PCP in diesel oil solution, both the Dayton Flexible Products Triflex (PVC) and the Best 64 NFW (natural rubber) gloves exhibited breakthrough times thirty seconds after exposure. The Playtex #835 (latex/neoprene) glove exhibited breakthrough after sixty minutes, but showed a five fold greater rate of permeation than the Dayton and the Best glove. Neither the Edmont Sol-Vex (nitrile rubber) nor the Granet Glo-Gluv (PVC) gloves had been permeated after testing for 8 and 16 hours respectively. Following challenge with a 4.2% sodium pentachlorophenate solution, only the Best (natural rubber) glove allowed breakthrough; this only thirty seconds after exposure. Neither the Dayton (5 hours), Playtex (7.5 hours), Edmont (15.5 hours), nor Granet (15.5 hours) gloves had been permeated following completion of testing after the listed duration. This study has shown that different gloves offer differing resistance to permeation by PCP based upon the composition of the glove and the PCP formulation tested.