NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Survey of sulfur-containing rubber accelerator levels in latex and nitrile exam gloves.

Depree GJ; Bledsoe TA; Siegel PD

Contact Dermatitis 2005 Aug; 53(2):107-113

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0105-1873.2005.00657.x

20027920

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole and zinc dialkyldithiocarbamates are commonly used sulfur-containing rubber vulcanization accelerators known to cause allergic contact dermatitis. Exposure to these agents occurs through clothing such as undergarments and shoes, latex medical devices and latex and nitrile gloves. A simple, inexpensive screening method for total sulfur accelerator and a high performance liquid chromatographic speciation method were developed in the present study. These methods were applied to screen and quantify the sulfur accelerator content from 38 brands of 'off-the-shelf' latex and nitrile gloves obtained from commercial vendors. It was found that accelerator levels ranged from not detectable to 7.35 mg/g in the gloves analysed. Brands were found to contain single and multiple accelerator species within the glove. Powdered gloves had significantly higher accelerator levels than powder-free gloves from the same manufacturer; however, these chemical accelerators do not preferentially partition to the powder. The present analytical methodology is suitable for both manufacturing quality validation purposes, as well as for accelerator allergy research.

Gloves; Nitriles; Allergic-dermatitis; Contact-dermatitis; Dermatitis; Occupational-exposure; Allergic-reactions; Safety-research; Safety-measures; Safety-clothing

Paul D. Siegel, PhD, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, M/S L4020, HELD/NIOSH, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown WV 26505-2888, USA

CODEDG

149-30-4

20050801

Journal Article

PSiegel@cdc.gov

2005

2

0105-1873

HELD

Disease and Injury: Allergic and Irritant Dermatitis

Contact Dermatitis

WV