Nitrile glove composition and performance – substandard properties and inaccurate packaging information

Authors: HERKINS, ASHLEY - The Ohio State University; DEY, SRILOY - The Ohio State University; CONROY, DAN - The Ohio State University; Cornish, Katrina

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The durability and mechanical properties of synthetic medical gloves, such as those made from nitrile, vary drastically depending on the manufacturer. Using a novel glove durability tester and FTIR and NMR analysis we proved that some nitrile gloves fail to meet ASTM performance standards mandated by the Food and Drug Administration and one failing brand was not made of nitrile, although label as a nitrile examination glove. Gloves that fail to meet the minimum performance requirements, or are mislabeled, should not be used for medical purposes to protect the health and safety of consumers.

Technical Abstract: The durability and mechanical properties of synthetic medical gloves, such as those made from nitrile, vary drastically depending on the manufacturer. This study reports the chemical composition of several brands of nitrile gloves via FTIR and solid-state NMR analysis and relates composition to glove durability (found via GAD), mechanical performance (found via Instron), and whether the gloves meet or fail ASTM International standards. Out of the four nitrile examination glove brands tested, American Nitrile Slate brand had superior durability results and was found to be made of acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, as expected. The U.S. Medical glove brand, which was also found to be pure nitrile, had the superior tensile results, consistently reaching over 800% elongation before breaking. Although Restore Touch brand exam gloves were made of nitrile, they exhibited substandard tensile strength and durability due to the thinness of the glove, which barely met the ASTM minimum thickness value. The Vglove brand glove had the overall worst mechanical properties, did not meet ASTM requirements, and had an NMR spectrum consistent with that of a polyvinyl chloride glove, rather than nitrile. Gloves that fail to meet the minimum performance requirements should not be used for medical purposes to protect the health and safety of consumers.