A Practical Study in Laboratory and Workplace Permeation Testing

Abstract Persistent dermal exposure of workers and facility contamination by meta-phenylenediamine (MPDA) during a research project precipitated a concentrated testing program to evaluate protective gloves, clothing, and usage procedures. The objective of this work was to determine the proper gloves and procedures needed to protect workers from dermal exposure to chemicals which were potential carcinogens. MPDA is a very sensitive indicator of contamination because it readily discolors on exposure to air. It is not unique in its permeation characteristics; other chemicals only differ in relative rates of permeation. Therefore, the results obtained are applicable to other situations with different chemicals. In our operation, MPDA was present in an amine hardener mixture. An epoxy resin was also a test material, and acetone was used as a solvent. Glove manufacturers' recommendations and breakthrough time data for these and similar compounds conflicted with the experiences in our operation. In addition, lim...