Determination of the Attenuation Properties of Laboratory Gloves Exposed to an Ultraviolet Transilluminator

Abstract

The transmission of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from an ultraviolet transilluminator through three types of laboratory gloves (latex, nitrile, vinyl) was determined using two independent methods. First, transmittance was measured with a radiometer equipped with UVA and actinic UV detectors. Second, a spectrophotometer was used to determine the UVR transmittance vs. wavelength (250–440 nm); this data was then used to compute the effective attenuation of the glove material. The average UVA percent transmittance using the radiometer method with an unstretched glove was 73.4%, 0.18%, and 1.10% for vinyl, nitrile, and latex, respectively. The average actinic percent transmittance for an unstretched glove was 13.3%, 0.015%, and 0.024% for vinyl, nitrile, and latex, respectively. Slight increases in UVR transmittance resulted from stretching the gloves by 30% or wetting them with saline. Six hours of UVR exposure decreased transmittance of vinyl gloves and increased transmittance by latex gloves. Results from the spectrophotometer method and radiometer methods of determining UVR transmittance agreed that vinyl gloves had the highest transmittance; however, the spectrophotometer method greatly overestimated UV glove attenuation due to the effect of light scattering by the glove material. The study suggests that in some circumstances, vinyl gloves will provide inadequate protection against workplace ultraviolet radiation.

Keywords:

• attenuation
• glove
• protection
• radiation
• transilluminator
• ultraviolet

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research was supported by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) traineeship (Grant No. T01/CCT510467) and a pilot project research training grant from the CDC/NIOSH-supported University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center (Grant No. T42/CCT510420).

Notes

^A Avg. stretch – avg. unstretch.

^B ([Avg. stretch – avg. unstretch]/avg. unstretch)* 100.

^C P-value for paired t-test of stretched vs. unstretched results for each glove type.

^A Wet – dry.

^B ([Avg. wet – avg. dry]/avg. dry) * 100.

^C P-value for paired t-test of wet vs. dry results for each glove type.

^A Avg. treated – avg. untreated.

^B ([Avg. treated – avg. untreated]/avg. untreated) * 100.

^C P-value for paired t-test of treated vs. untreated results for each glove type.

^A Average of 3 trials.

^B Average of 15 trials.

^C Percent transmittance by radiometer method/percent transmittance by spectrophotometer.

^A See text for details.

^B Distance between the end of the tube and the detector.

^A Radiant exposure = (time, sec * irradiance, μW/cm²)/1,000,000.

^B Overexposure is > 1.0 Joule/cm² radiant exposure for periods lasting < 1000 sec, ACGIH 2002.

^C Experimental UVA transmission through glove: vinyl at 81%, nitrile at 0.4%, latex at 2%.

^A Radiant exposure (mJ/cm²)= (time, sec * irradiance, μW/cm²)/1000.

^B Permitted time (sec) = (0.003 Joule/cm²/irradiance, μW/cm²) * 1,000,000, ACGIH 2002.

^C Experimental actinic transmission through glove: vinyl at 16%, nitrile at 0.02%, latex at 0.03%.