Dermal Exposure as a Result of Glove Penetration
Abstract No:
1726
Abstract Type:
Student Poster
Authors:
W Cejtin1, M Sietsema2
Institutions:
1UIC, Chicago, IL, 2University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Presenter:
William Cejtin
UIC
UIC
Faculty Advisor:
Margaret Sietsema, Ph.D., CIH
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago
Description:
The goal of this study is to improve our understanding of the protection offered by gloves against dermal exposure. The specific objective of this study is to characterize dermal exposure resulting from chemical penetration of two glove types – nitrile gloves with short and long cuffs. The approach to this research is experimental simulation.
Briefly, participants were asked to perform a simple work task, dishwashing, for ten minutes in a plastic tub of fluorescein solution while wearing gloves. Due to short term contact with the fluorescein solution, any measured exposure was attributed to glove penetration rather than glove permeation. Dermal exposure was measured after glove doffing in two ways: 1) the surface area of the hand with visible fluorescein contamination, and 2) mass of fluorescein on the hand. The surface area of dermal exposure was determined from photographs of the hand taken under black light, which causes the fluorescein to fluoresce. The mass of fluorescein was determined by the glove juice method and quantified by a fluorometer. A total of ten participants were recruited for this study, each subject performed the experimental simulation twice, once with short-cuff nitrile gloves and once with long-cuff nitrile gloves. Data analysis described the total mass of contamination and the total surface area of contamination for each participant and tested for differences between glove types.
Briefly, participants were asked to perform a simple work task, dishwashing, for ten minutes in a plastic tub of fluorescein solution while wearing gloves. Due to short term contact with the fluorescein solution, any measured exposure was attributed to glove penetration rather than glove permeation. Dermal exposure was measured after glove doffing in two ways: 1) the surface area of the hand with visible fluorescein contamination, and 2) mass of fluorescein on the hand. The surface area of dermal exposure was determined from photographs of the hand taken under black light, which causes the fluorescein to fluoresce. The mass of fluorescein was determined by the glove juice method and quantified by a fluorometer. A total of ten participants were recruited for this study, each subject performed the experimental simulation twice, once with short-cuff nitrile gloves and once with long-cuff nitrile gloves. Data analysis described the total mass of contamination and the total surface area of contamination for each participant and tested for differences between glove types.
Situation/Problem:
Dermal exposure is a primary route of occupational chemical exposure. Contact dermatitis, a highly prevalent health outcome associated with dermal exposure, is one of the most common occupational illnesses and affects millions of workers each year. Chemically resistant gloves are a common control method used to protect against dermal exposure. Current glove evaluation, assessment, and selection processes rely almost exclusively on laboratory permeation-based studies, disregarding the potential for glove failure via penetration (i.e. splash, tear, puncture, abrasion of glove material) and the resulting dermal contamination to the hands and forearms. Dermal exposure due to glove penetration requires further research to develop more reliable glove protection factors, to improve dermal exposure modeling and risk assessment, and to fully understand glove failure and dermal exposure pathways.
Methods:
A study of dermal exposure resulting from glove penetration was carried out using an experimental simulation approach with two different glove types (short-cuff and long-cuff nitrile gloves) to compare measures of contamination to the hands. Simulations consisted of 10 participants using gloves to wash glassware in a tub of fluorescein solution (100 PPM fluorescein concentration). After each simulation, participants' hands were photographed under black light to measure the surface area of contamination and the fluorescein was extracted from the hands to measure the mass of contamination. A paired t-test was used to compare the measures of contamination for the left and right hands. Left- and right-hand contamination measurements were then combined to determine measures of total dermal exposure (i.e. total mass and total surface area of dermal contamination). A correlation test was run to determine the relationship between mass and surface area of contamination, descriptive statistics were computed to compare total dermal exposure by glove type. A paired t-test was used to compare the measures of contamination for the short-cuff and long-cuff gloves.
Results / Conclusions:
Results indicated no statistically significant difference in measures of dermal exposure between left and right hands (mass contamination P=0.95, surface area contamination P = 0.69) and between long-cuff and short-cuff glove types (mass contamination P = 0.54, surface area contamination P = 0.20). On average, long-cuff gloves had higher mass contamination (mean = 4.73 ug, SD = 9.88 ug) and surface area contamination (mean = 10.52 cm2, SD = 23.4 cm2) compared to short-cuff glove mass contamination (mean = 2.81 ug, SD = 4.19 ug) and surface area contamination (mean = 1.08 cm2, SD = 2.35 cm2). These differences in dermal exposure by glove type could be due to the extended cuff creating a sense of security and influencing a more vigorous washing behavior compared to the short-cuff simulations. This study demonstrates that fluorescein will penetrate gloves within 10 minutes of dishwashing activity, and that gloves selected based solely on permeation time do not offer complete protection, which aligns with previous investigative studies of the effects of repetitive hand movement on glove penetration and permeation. These findings affirm that PPE is an imperfect control method and that dermal exposure to the hands does occur via glove penetration. Glove selection and exposure modeling must consider both glove penetration and permeation exposure pathways in order to effectively protect worker health and safety.
Primary Topic:
Protective Clothing and Equipment/Respiratory Protection
Co-Authors
Please add your co-authors below. Co-authors are listed for professional courtesy and will not be communicated with regarding the decision notification or any on-site logistics, if accepted. Only the primary presenter listed is expected to attend and present the content on-site.
Dr. Margaret Sietsema
Acknowledgements and References
List any additional people who worked on the project or provided guidance and support along with details on the role they played in the research. (Please include first name, last name, organization, city, state and country).
Dr. Margaret Sietsema (University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA)