Simple Glove Permeation Models

Abstract

Glove permeation parameters of organic solvents through glove material (nitrile, neoprene, neox-supported neoprene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylchloride, and natural rubber) published by Ansell Edmont were tested with simple physical parameters for the solvent. Some were based on solvent characteristics (Snyder Polarity P′, dielectric constant, solvent/water partition coefficients P, and Hildebrand solubility) and one chromatographic parameter (Snyder elution E°). A simple criterion of permeation resistance with no chemical degradation of the material was applied to rank physical parameters. E° and log P_hep were the best such parameters, where P_hep is the partition coefficient of the permeant between n-heptane and water. E° was then shown to correlate best with log P_hep out of all the parameters investigated. E° and hence log P_hep were correlated to the breakthrough time (t_b) by the predicted relationship, and qualitatively to the predicted steady-state permeation rate (P_s) data for alcohol permeation through neoprene, polyvinylchloride, and neox-supported neoprene gloves.