What Are Nitrile Rubber Gloves?
Nitrile rubber gloves are gloves made of nitrile rubber.
They are also called synthetic rubber gloves. They do not cause latex allergies and can be used by those who cannot use natural rubber gloves. Nitrile rubber gloves are used for detailed work because they fit the hand easily.
They are also more durable against organic solvents than natural rubber gloves, making them ideal for work that involves contact with oil. Nitrile rubber gloves also have excellent strength. On the other hand, they are not as stretchable, so there is a possibility of tearing when they are stretched.
Uses for Nitrile Rubber Gloves
Nitrile rubber gloves are used for cleaning, general medical work (limited to non-sterile work), oil work, painting, scientific experiments, and other detailed work. Because of their high resistance to organic solvents and glove strength, they are also used in manufacturing, plating, oil handling, and machine maintenance.
Nitrile rubber gloves are also used in the food industry because of their suitability for detailed work with the hands and the low risk of contamination of additives from the gloves, unlike PVC gloves.
Principle of Nitrile Rubber Gloves
Nitrile rubber gloves are made of nitrile rubber, a general-purpose rubber made from the copolymerization of acrylonitrile and 1,3-butadiene. Like natural rubber, it does not contain latex, so it can be used by people with latex allergies.
However, its disadvantage is that it loses flexibility at low temperatures, becomes hard, and is easily damaged. Working outdoors in cold temperatures for long periods of time or storing Nitrile rubber gloves at low temperatures is undesirable because it accelerates deterioration.
Nitrile rubber gloves are also resistant to common organic solvents, acids, and alkalis, but not to ketones such as acetone or ethers, such as tetrahydrofuran. Nitrile rubber gloves that come in contact with low-resistance organic solvents are prone to shredding and should be replaced immediately in the event of damage.
Other Information on Nitrile Rubber Gloves
1. Food Hygiene Laws
Nitrile rubber gloves do not contain phthalates as raw materials, and thus meet the standards for food, additives, etc. Phthalates are known to be toxic to the human body, including reproductive toxicity. Their use is restricted in some countries.
Nitrile rubber gloves are also available in many blue products. This is to make it easier to detect the presence of gloves in food when using nitrile rubber gloves for food preparation.
2. Powder-Free Nitrile Rubber Gloves
Some glove products, such as nitrile rubber gloves, are coated with a powder to facilitate putting on and taking off. The powder is composed of magnesium hydrosilicate powder called talc or cornstarch (starch obtained from corn, etc.). Powder on skin can induce dermatitis and allergies in rare cases, which is why a shift to powder-free gloves is underway.
3. Delayed Onset Allergy to Nitrile Rubber
Nitrile rubber can cause allergic contact dermatitis, a delayed allergy. It tends to occur hours to days after contact, and symptoms include itchy eczema, erythema, edema, papules, dryness, cracking, and roughness of the hands. The causative agents are said to be vulcanization accelerators and anti-aging agents.