Heptane: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact) or use 15 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
For extended contact, as when using heptane for large scale extractions, refilling secondary containers or as a cleaning fluid, a heavier weight nitrile (35 mils or thicker), viton or PVA gloves are recommended. Note that the permeation time for heptane through 4 mil nitrile gloves is about 8 minutes and through latex exam gloves is even less time; subsequently, these gloves are not recommended for use with heptane.
Hexamethylenediamine (1,6-diaminohexane): heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact); use a heavier weight neoprene glove when handling the pure material or concentrated stock solutions (extended contact)
Hexane: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact) or use 15 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
For extended contact, as when using hexane for large scale extractions, refilling secondary containers or as a cleaning fluid, a heavier weight nitrile (35 mils or thicker), viton or PVA gloves are recommended. Note that the permeation time for hexane through 4 mil nitrile gloves is about 12 minutes and through latex exam gloves is only about 5-6 minutes; subsequently, these gloves are not recommended for use with hexane.
Hydrochloric acid (concentrated and strong solutions): nitrile gloves (incidental contact)
A heavier weight neoprene or butyl rubber glove would be superior for long-term use with more concentrated solutions, such as cleaning glassware that has been soaking in an HCl bath or other larger-scale use of HCl.
Hydrofluoric acid (HF): double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact) or use 15 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
Note that additional protective equipment must always be worn when using larger quantities of HF. Nitrile or rubber sleeves, rubber aprons, face shields and splash goggles (not safety glasses) should also be worn. All users of HF must maintain an HF first aid kit in their lab.
HF users are advised to contact EH&S for an “HF Users Information Packet.”
Hypophosphorous acid: double glove with nitrile gloves (4 mil) (incidental contact) or use 8 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
Kananmycin: nitrile gloves
Isoamyl alcohol: nitrile gloves
Isoctane: nitrile gloves (incidental contact); for extended contact heavier weight nitrile gloves are recommended
Isopropanol: nitrile gloves
Lactic Acid: nitrile gloves (incidental contact); double glove with nitrile gloves or use neoprene or butyl rubber gloves if contact with lactic acid is probable for an extended period
Laser dyes: nitrile gloves
Lead acetate: See Heavy Metal Salts.
2-Mercaptoethanol:
Mercuric chloride: See Heavy Metal Salts.
Mercury: nitrile gloves
Methanol (methyl alcohol): nitrile gloves
Methanol should never be allowed to make contact with the skin, as it is fairly easily absorbed by the skin. Methanol is a poison.
Methylene chloride: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact)
Methylene chloride will permeate through thin (3-4 mil) nitrile gloves in four minutes or less. If you are double gloved, as recommended, and you splash or spill methylene chloride on your gloves, stop what you are doing and change the outer glove immediately. If you allow methylene chloride to remain on the outer nitrile glove for more than two to four minutes you must discard both sets of gloves and re-double glove. Methylene chloride permeates disposable latex exam gloves in a matter of seconds and latex gloves should never be used to handle this material.
For use of methylene chloride where contact with the glove is anticipated, such as stripping paint or gluing plastics, only polyvinyl acetate (PVA) or viton gloves are recommended. These gloves come in .28-.33 mm thickness. PVA offers the best protection.
Methylphosphonic acid: double glove with nitrile gloves (4 mil) (incidental contact) or use 8 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
Methyl sulfonic acid, ethyl ester (EMS) (ethyl methanesulfonate): nitrile gloves (incidental contact); double glove with nitrile gloves when handling the pure material or concentrated stock solutions
Note: See Heavy Metal Salts for proper disposal of gloves and other dry waste contaminated with EMS.
Monoethanolamine: nitrile gloves
Nickel chloride: See Heavy Metal Salts.
Nitric acid: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact); remove outer glove at once if exposed to nitric acid
Light weight nitrile gloves are not recommended for any use with nitric acid as they are degraded very quickly. Even heavier weight nitrile gloves last only five minutes or less in contact with nitric acid. For handling larger quantities of concentrated nitric acid, or for extended contact, only heavier weight (.28-.33 mm) butyl rubber or neoprene gloves are recommended.
N-Methylethanolamine: : double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact); remove outer glove at once if exposed to N-methylethanolamine
Viton, neoprene or butyl rubber gloves are recommended for extensive use of N-methyl-ethanolamine such as working with the pure material or making solutions.
Octane: nitrile gloves (incidental contact); for extended contact heavier weight nitrile gloves or viton gloves are recommended
Organophosphorous compounds: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact) or use 15 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
Osmium tetroxide: See Heavy Metal Salts.
Paraformaldehyde: nitrile gloves
Pentane: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact)
Thin nitrile gloves are quickly degraded by pentane. For extended contact with pentane only heavier weight neoprene gloves or viton gloves are recommended.
Pesticides: heavier weight unlined nitrile gloves (8-20 mils) or a glove specified by the pesticide label.*
A wide variety of pesticides are in use at Cornell. Each EPA registered pesticide is provided with an MSDS-like label. The pesticide label may have a glove selection category listed on the it which is based on the “EPA Chemical Resistance Category Selection Chart.” The glove selection category is listed as A through H, with each category representing a group or class of pesticides.
The EPA glove selection chart is available on the Web at:
http://oeh.cals.cornell.edu/EPAChemRes.html
If the label specifies a glove type, the applicator must wear the specified glove. Additional information on the selection of gloves for the use of various pesticides may be obtained from Mary-Lynn Cummings at 255-2557 or the Pesticide Management Education Program at 255-1866
Perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene): Double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact); remove outer glove at once if exposed to perchloroethylene.
For extended contact, such as parts washing, heavier weight nitrile gloves (22 mil or heavier, such as Ansell Edmont Sol-Vex brand, #37-165) may last up to five hours.
Viton gloves are recommended for repeated extended contact with perchloroethylene.
Thin (4 mil) nitile gloves have a breakthrough time of 4 minutes or less.; neoprene and vinyl glove have a breakthrough time of less than 10 minutes; none of these materials are suitable for use with perchloroethylene.
Petroleum ether: nitrile gloves (incidental contact); or heavy weight nitrile or viton for extended contact.
Phenol: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact); neoprene or butyl rubber gloves are recommended for extensive use of phenol such as working with the pure material or making solutions.
Nitrile gloves have a 30-minute breakthrough time with phenol. If working with double gloved nitrile gloves, change the outer glove frequently if exposed to this material.
Phenol-chloroform mixtures: Double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact) or use 15 mil or heavier nitrile gloves; remove outer glove at once if exposed to mixture.
Viton gloves are recommended for work with phenol-chloroform mixtures when probable exposure to the mixtures exists (extended contact), such as when making up the mixtures.
Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF): nitrile gloves (incidental contact); double glove with nitrile gloves when handling the pure material or concentrated stock solutions
Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride is corrosive (causes burns) on contact with the skin, eyes and mucus membranes. It is also a highly toxic cholinesterase inhibitor and central nervous system poison. Avoid all contact.
Note: See Heavy Metal Salts for proper disposal of gloves and other dry waste contaminated with PMSF.
Phosphonic acid: double glove with nitrile gloves (4 mil) (incidental contact) or use 8 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
Phosphoric acid: double glove with nitrile gloves (4 mil) (incidental contact) or use 8 mil or heavier nitrile gloves
Picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic aicd): nitrile glove
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): For weighing out of pure or concentrated materials, wear an 8 mil or heavier nitrile glove over a neoprene glove. For dilute solutions in corn oil (1 p.p.m. or less) neoprene gloves (20 mil) are recommended.
Note: See Heavy Metal Salts for proper disposal of gloves and other dry waste contaminated with PCBs.
Polyoxyethylenesorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20): nitrile gloves
Potassium ferricyanide: nitrile gloves
Potassium ferrocyanide: nitrile gloves
Potassium permanganate: nitrile gloves
Propanol: nitrile gloves
Propionic acid: nitrile gloves (incidental contact); neoprene or butyl rubber gloves are recommended if contact with propionic acid is probable for an extended period of time.
Propylene oxide: heavier weight (17 mil or greater) butyl rubber or neoprene gloves (incidental contact); norfoil gloves are the only glove recommended for extended contact
Propylene oxide attacks almost all common glove materials. It passes directly through latex gloves and the breakthrough time for nitrile gloves ranges from seconds to a few minutes.
Ordinary 4 mil latex and nitrile lab gloves should never be used with this material. Propylene oxide has a breakthrough time of only 10 minutes with viton gloves which are completely resistant to most common lab chemicals. The breakthrough time for neoprene and butyl rubber gloves is on the order of 45-50 minutes. Use heavier weight gloves (17 mil or greater), check the gloves often and discard after 40 minutes or so or of continuous use when there is contact of propylene oxide with the glove. When possible, use a norfoil glove with a heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile
Psoralen: nitrile gloves (incidental contact); double glove with nitrile gloves when handling the pure material or concentrated stock solutions Psoralen is corrosive (causes burns) on contact with the skin, eyes and mucus membranes. It is anticipated to be a carcinogen, it is a mutagen and a strong photosensitizer. Avoid all contact.
Note: See Heavy Metal Salts for proper disposal of gloves and other dry waste contaminated with psoralen.
Pump oil: butyl rubber gloves
If you are changing pump oil or servicing pumps where contact with the oil may occur, the only recommended glove type is butyl rubber.
Silane based silanization or drivatization compounds: double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact) or use 15 mil or heavier nitrile gloves; remove outer glove at once if signs of degradation occur
Silver nitrate: See Heavy Metal Salts.
Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS): nitrile gloves
Sodium azide: nitrile gloves or double glove with nitrile gloves (incidental contact)
Spermidine: nitrile gloves Sulfuric acid: heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact); heavier weight (20 mil or greater) neoprene or butyl rubbber gloves (extended contact)
Sulfuric acid: heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact); heavier weight (20 mil or greater) neoprene or butyl rubbber gloves (extended contact)
Tetrahydrofuran (THF): double glove with heavier weight (8 mil) nitrile gloves (incidental contact) or use 15 mil or heavier nitrile gloves; remove outer glove at once if THF contacts glove
For extended contact, such as when using THF for larger scale reactions, refilling secondary containers or as a cleaning fluid, only Norfoil gloves are recommended. Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) gives some limited protection (up to 1-1/2 hours for some gloves) but are inferior to the Norfoil gloves. Note that the permeation time for THF through 4 mil nitrile gloves and latex exam gloves is almost instantaneous; subsequently, these gloves are not recommended for use with THF.
3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB): nitrile gloves (incidental contact); double glove with nitrile gloves when handling the pure material or concentrated stock solutions
Note: See Heavy Metal Salts for proper disposal of gloves and other dry waste contaminated with TMB.
N, N, N’, N’-Tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED): nitrile gloves (incidental contact); double glove with nitrile gloves when handling the pure material or concentrated stock solutions TEMED is corrosive (causes burns) on contact with the skin, eyes and mucus membranes.