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Engineering Physics and CEDT

Protective Laboratory Gloves

Laboratory gloves are used to protect against exposure to hazardous materials. Typical lab gloves are made from natural rubber (latex), or from synthetic variants on rubber such as nitrile or neoprene.

Rate of reactivity dictates how long a glove is able to maintain its integrity when exposed to a chemical. Breakthrough times, the time required for a particular chemical to cause the the glove material to break down, varies dramatically depending on the glove material. Please note that breakthrough times can also vary between different brands or models of gloves, often due to differences in manufacturing techniques or slight material variation.

Breakthrough detection time (BDT) refers to the time required to permeate a given glove, measured in minutes. Permeation rate after breakthrough is factored into the Chemical Protective Clothing (CPC) rating. A CPC rating of 0 indicates excellent chemical resistance over a long period. A CPC rating of 5 indicates very poor, potentially dangerous resistance to a chemical, with high chemical permeation rate after breakthrough [Forsberg and Keith, 1989].

From VWR Catalog, 2000/2001, VWR Scientific Products, as provided by Best Manufacturing:

Chemical Resistance Chart

ASTM Breakthrough Times and CPC Rating Page #1
ASTM F739-91 Normalized Breakthrough In Minutes and CPC Ratings for Best Gloves

Explanation of Ratings
Breakthrough detection times (BDT) are given in minutes. CPC Index ratings are based on the system of Forsberg which relies on both breakthrough times and permeation rates to establish a rating system for chemical protective clothing. The ratings range from 0 to 5 with 0 being the best and 5 the worst.

Chemical Protective Clothing Performance Index Rating Summary (CPC)
0 Safest Selection for Unlimited Exposure. No Breakthrough.
1 Next Best Selection for Unlimited Exposure.
2 Sometimes Satisfactory. Good for Limited Exposure.
3 Poor Choice. Not for Heavy Exposure.
4 Very Poor. For Splashes Only.
5 Not Recommended.

Chemical by Class Neoprene Nitrile Rubber PVC Butyl Viton
BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC
Aliphatic Solvents
1. Cyclohexane 21 2 55 5 13 3
2. Gasoline (Unleaded) 46 3 46 0 NR 5 22 3 NR 5 ND 0
3. Heptane ND 0 ND 0 24 3 39 4 23 4 ND 0
4. Hexane 173 2 234 0 21 4 29 3 13 5 ND 0
5. Isooctane ND 0 ND 0 57 3 114 3 56 4 ND 0
6. Kerosene ND 0 ND 0 NR 5 ND 0 94 4 ND 0
7. Petroleum Ethers 99 2 ND 0 5 5 19 4 15 4 ND 0
Acids, Organic
8. Acetic 84% ND 0 240 5 ND 0 300 2 ND 0 ND 0
9. Formic 90% ND 0 75 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 120 0
Acids, Mineral
10. Battery 47% ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0
11. Hydrochloric 37% ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0
12. Hydrofluoric 48% ND 0 60 3 45 3 110 2 ND 0 185 1
13. Muriatic 10% ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 4 ND 0 ND 0
14. Nitric 70% ND 0 NR 5 ND 0 240 5 ND 0 ND 0
15. Sulfuric 97% ND 0 180 3 ND 0 210 5 ND 0 ND 0
Alcohols
16. Amyl ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 116 2 ND 0 ND 0
17. Butyl ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 155 2 ND 0 ND 0
18. Cresols ND 0 NR 5 371 2 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0
19. Ethyl ND 0 225 4 ND 0 66 2 ND 0 ND 0
20. Methyl 226 1 28 3 82 2 39 4 ND 0 ND 0
21. Isobutyl ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 2 ND 0 ND 0
Aldehydes
22. Acetaldehyde 21 3 NR 5 55 3 13 5 ND 0 NR 5
23. Benzaldehyde 93 3 NR 5 81 3 NR 5 ND 0 ND 0
24. Fromaldehyde ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0
25. Furfural 165 2 NR 5 ND 0 85 3 ND 0 298 3
Alkalis
26. Ammonium Hydroxide ND 0 240 3 120 3 60 4 ND 0 ND 0
27. Potassium Hydroxide ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0
28. Sodium Hydroxide ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0

ASTM Breakthrough Times and CPC Rating Page #2
ASTM F739-91 Normalized Breakthrough In Minutes and CPC Rating for Best Gloves

Chemical by Class Neoprene Nitrile Rubber PVC Butyl Viton
BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC BDT CPC
Amides
29. Dimethylacetamide 84 3 NR 5 29 4 51 4 ND 0 NR 5
30. Dimethylformamide 100 3 NR 5 ND 0 NR 5 ND 0 NR 5
31. N-MethylPyrrolidone ND 0 34 3 ND 0 140 4 ND 0 NR 5
Amines
32. Aniline 32 3 NR 5 1 4 71 3 ND 0 ND 0
33. Butylamine NR 5 NR 5 45 3 15 3 45 3 NR 5
34. Diethylamine 23 5 60 5 60 5 107 4 30 3 9 5
Aromatic Solvents
35. Benzene 15 5 16 4 NR 5 13 5 34 4 ND 0
36. Toluene 25 4 26 4 NR 5 19 4 22 4 ND 0
37. Xylene 37 4 41 4 NR 5 23 3 NR 5 ND 0
Chlorinated Solv.
38. Carbon Tetrachloride 73 4 ND 0 NR 5 46 4 53 4 ND 0
39. Chloroform 23 4 6 5 NR 5 10 5 21 4 ND 0
40. Methylene Chloride NR 5 4 5 NR 5 NR 5 20 4 113 3
41. Perchloroethylene 40 4 ND 0 NR 5 NR 5 28 4 ND 0
42. Trichloroethylene 12 5 9 5 NR 5 NR 5 13 5 ND 0
43. 1,1,1-Trichloroethane 51 4 49 4 NR 5 52 3 72 4 ND 0
Esters
44. Amyl Acetate 110 3 77 4 NR 5 NR 5 158 3 NR 5
45. Ethyl Acetate 24 4 30 4 72 4 5 5 212 2 NR 5
46. Methyl Methacrylate 27 3 NR 5 77 3 NR 5 63 3 NR 5
Ethers
47. Cellosolve Acetate 228 3 47 4 107 3 64 4 ND 0 NR 5
48. Ethyl Ether 12 5 33 4 11 5 14 5 19 5 29 5
49. Tetrahydrofuran 13 5 5 5 NR 5 NR 5 24 4 NR 5
Gases
50. Ammonia, Anhydrous 29 2 336 1 4 4 19 3 ND 0 ND 0
51. 1,3-Butadiene 33 3 ND 0 25 3 24 3 473 2 ND 0
52. Chlorine ND 0 ND 0 ND 0 360 2 ND 0 ND 0
53. Ethylene Oxide 21 4 17 5 1 5 1 5 189 2 48 4
54. Hydrogen Fluoride 210 2 1 5 142 1 1 5 ND 0 6 3
55. Methyl Chloride 84 1 ND 0 52 2 ND 0 ND 0 ND 0
56. Vinyl Chloride 7 4 ND 0 2 4 19 3 268 1 ND 0
Ketones
57. Acetone 35 3 3 5 9 5 7 5 ND 0 NR 5
58. Methyl Ethyl Ketone 30 3 NR 5 12 5 NR 5 202 2 NR 5
59. MIBK 41 3 5 5 38 4 NR 5 292 2 NR 5
Nitriles
60. Acetonitrile 65 3 6 5 16 3 24 4 ND 0 NR 5
61. Acrylonitrile 27 3 NR 5 48 3 14 5 ND 0 55 4
Reference: Forsberg and Keith (1989) Chemical Protective Clothing Performance Index Book. John Wiley and Sons. This information has been provided by Best Manutacturing and is applicable only to Best gloves.

The preceding table is taken from the VWR Catalog, 2000/2001, published by VWR Scientific Products. The published data were based on results provided to VWR by Best Manufacturing, based on experimental testing conducted in accordance with testing standard ASTM F739-91, established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). More information on CPC ratings can be found in the Chemical Protective Clothing Performance Index Book, written by K. Forsberg and L.H. Keith (Wiley, Toronto, 1989). Note that the results shown in the table were for gloves by one particular manufacturer, Best Gloves. As such, the data should be used as a guideline only, and where possible, the appropriateness of alternative brands should be verified prior to use with a particular chemical.

In the table, the acronym "ND" is assumed to indicate that "no damage" was observed to the glove during the testing period. The acronym "NR" is assumed to indicate "no resistance" to the chemical tested.

If transferring gloves from their original packaging to a new container, please indicate glove-type on the new container. This should help prevent confusion regarding glove resistance.