Chemical Resistant Gloves Guide

The following table gives recommended materials for chemically-resistant gloves for work involving a variety of chemicals. If the chemical about which you need information is not listed, email hugh.cartwright@chem.ox.ac.uk and I will try to add it to the table. There are links from this page to safety data for a few chemicals, but if there is no link for the chemical you want, go to http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS, where there are links to safety data for thousands of chemicals, including (I think!) all those listed below.

Those working in Oxford University should take note of the following information regarding the use of latex gloves, which is contained in the Appendix to University Policy Statement S3/02:

"All latex gloves present a risk of causing irritation, sensitisation or allergic reaction in susceptible individuals, although this risk is reduced in gloves with lower levels of latex protein and process chemicals. Powdered latex gloves carry an additional risk to sensitised individuals, because the latex protein leaches into the powder and becomes airborne when gloves are removed, or may be carried around on the wearer's clothing.

This may affect others in the vicinity, not just the person wearing the gloves. Therefore powdered latex gloves must not be used. If latex gloves are chosen, then only good-quality, powder-free ones with low levels (< 100 micrograms per gram) of extractable or leachable latex protein should be used."

Note that the ban on powdered latex gloves is University Safety Policy; such gloves therefore are not to be used within the PTCL. For further information on latex gloves, consult the HSE's web site on latex allergies.

Abbreviations used for glove material:

4H	4H (PE/EVAL)
B	Barricade
Br	Butyl rubber
CPF	CPF 3
Ne	Neoprene
Ni	Nitrile rubber
Nr	Natural rubber
Pe	Polyethylene
Pva	Polvinyl alcohol
Pvc	Polyvinyl chloride
Res	Responder
S	Saranex
T	Teflon
Ty	Tychem 10000
V	Viton

Entries in brackets in the table below indicate that the glove material is likely to provide adequate protection for a period of less than four hours, so caution is advised.

4H, Teflon, Viton, Responder, Saranex and Barricade are trade marks.

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Chemicals

A
Acetaldehyde	Br T
Acetic acid	Br Ne T V S
Acetone	Br T 4H CPF Res
Acetonitrile	Br T B
Acetonylacetone	Nr Br
Acetophenone	T
Acrolein	Br B
Acrylamide	Br Ni Pvc V
Allylamine	Br
Ammonia (liquid)	Res CPF
Ammonium hydroxide	Br Ni T V
Aniline	Br Pva T V B
B
Benzene	Pva T V B
Benzoyl chloride	Pva V
Benzyl alcohol	Br V
Benzylamine	T
Benzyl bromide	T
Boric acid	Br N Ni V
Bromine	T
Bromobenzene	Pva V
2-bromoethanol	Br V
Butyric acid	Br V
gamma-butyrolactone	4H
C
Cadmium oxide	Ne Ni
Carbon disulfide	Pva T V B 4H Res Ty
Carbon tetrachloride	Pva T V B
Caustic soda	[See sodium hydroxide]
Chloral, anhydrous	V Br
Chloroacetic acid	Br Ne Pe V
4-chloroaniline	B
Chloroform	Pva T V B
1-chloropropane	T
Chromic acid	Pe Pvc Br
1,8-cineole	T V
Cobalt (III) acetylacetonate	Br Ni
m-cresol	Ne
p-cresol	4H
Crystal violet	Br V
D
DCM (dye, not dichloromethane)	Br Ni
3,4-dichloroaniline	B
Dichlorobenzene	V
Dichlorodimethylsilane	4H V
1,2-dichloroethane	Ty [Pva] [V]
Dichloromethane	PVa
Diethyl ether ("ether")	Pva T
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate	Br V 4H Ba
Dimethyl acetamide	Br
Dimethylformamide	Br T 4H Res
Dimethyl phosphite	Ne Ni Br
Dimethyl sulfide (methyl sulfide)	Res
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)	Br Ne T B
2,4-dinitrotoluene	S
1,3-dioxane	Br
E
Ethidium bromide	Ni Br
Ethyl acetate	4H B Res
Ethyl bromide	(Pva, V)
Ethylenediamine	Br T S
Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether	Br
Ethylene oxide	Br T B
Ethyl methacrylate	Br Pva
F
Ferrous sulfate	Ne Nr Ni
Fluoroacetamide	Ne
Formaldehyde	Br Ni T V B
Formamide	Br Nr
Formic acid	Br Ne Pvc T S B
Furfural	Br Pva S
G
Glutaraldehyde	Br Ne Nr Ni V Pvc
H
Heptane	Ni V 4H
Hexane	Ni PVA T V B
Hexachlorobenzene	Res Ty
Hexachloro-1,3-butadiene	Res Ty
Hexachloroethane	Res Ty
1-hexene	T V
Hydrazine	Br Ne Ni Pvc T V B
Hydochloric acid	Br Nr Ne Ni Pvc T V B
Hydrofluoric acid	Br B T S
Hydrogen bromide	T
Hydrogen peroxide	Br Nr Ni Pe Pvc V
I
Indole	4H Res Ty
Iodine	Pe S
Iodomethane	Br Ni
Iodomethane-d3	Br Ni
Isoamyl alcohol (isopentyl alcohol)	Br Ne Ni V
Isobutanol (isobutyl alcohol)	Br Ne Ni V 4H Res
Isopentane	Ni
Isopropanol	Br Ni V 4H CPF3 Res
L
Lubricating oil	Nr Ne Ni V
M
Malathion	T
Mercuric chloride	B
Mercury	B
Methanesulphonic acid	Ne Pvc
Methanol	Br T V 4H
1-methoxy-2-propanol	Br Ne 4H
Methyl acrylate	Pva T B
Methylamine	Br Ne Ni T V
2-methylbutane	Ni
Methyl tert-butyl ether	Ni PVA 4H B Res
Methylene chloride (dichloromethane)	PVA T 4H B Res Ty
Methylethanolamine	V Br Ne
Methylethyl ketone (MEK)	Br T
Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP)	V Ne Br
Methyl glycol (methyl cellosolve)	Br 4H
Methyl isocyanate	Pva B
Methyl mercaptan	B
N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone	Br 4H
Methyl trichlorosilane	V
Morpholine	Br
N
Naphtha (solvents)	Ni Pva 4H B
Nickel cyanide	Br
Nickel (II) or (III) oxide	Nr Pvc
Nitric acid (concentrated)	Pvc
Nitric acid 30-70%	Br Ne Pe Pvc V S
Nitric acid 30%	Br Nr Ne Ni Pe Pvc T S
Nitric oxide	T
Nitrobenzene	Br Pva T V B
O
Octafluoroadipic acid	Br Nr
Oxalic acid	Br Nr Ne Ni Pvc V
P
2-pentanone	Br
Perchloric acid (ca. 75%)	Nr Ne Ni Pvc T
n-perfluoropentanoic acid	Br Ne Ni Nr
Phenol	Br Ne T V B
Phosgene	T
Phosphorus trichloride	T B
Picric acid	Ne Ni (use of gloves of either type of material should be restricted to short periods, ca. 1hour)
Propionaldehyde	Br
Q
Quinoline	Br
S
Sodium cyanide (solid)	Nr Ne Ni Pvc
Sodium fluoride	Nr Ni Ne Pvc
Sodium hydroxide	Br Nr Ne Ni Pe PVC T V Sar Bar 4H Res
Sodium hypochlorite	Br Nr Ni Ne Pe V Res
Sodium silicate	Br Nr
Solvent naphtha	Ni Pva 4H B
Sulfuryl chloride	Br Ni
Sulphuric acid	Br Nr Ne Pe Pvc T V B
T
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane	Pva T V B Ty
Tetrahydrofuran (THF)	T B
Toluene	Pva T V
Trichloroacetic acid	Ni
Trichloroacetyl chloride	Nr Br
1,1,1-trichloroethane	Pva T V B
1,1,2-trichloroethane	Pva T V
Trichloroethylene	Pva T V 4H B Res Ty
Triethanolamine	Br Nr Ne Ni
Triethylamine	Ni V
Trimethylamine	T
V
Vinyl acetate	T B
4-vinylcyclohexene	Ni V
W
Water glass	Br Nr
X
Xylene	Pva T V 4H B