All glove manufacturers have test data available regarding to what level of protection their gloves provide. Granted there are set minimum requirements for medical exam gloves, like viral penetration, gloves are not required to protect against specific chemicals. Considering nitrile gloves provide stronger chemical protection compared to vinyl or latex, nitrile gloves are widely used within laboratory settings. If you already know which chemical you will be dealing with, make sure your specific glove protects well against the agent.

The following is a chart that provides data on how well a specific nitrile glove protects against key chemicals. The purpose of providing this chart is so you have an idea what the data means and to give you a general basis of how chemicals will react with nitrile.

Typically, protection level is measured in breakthrough time. Breakthrough time is defined as the elapsed time from when the chemical agent makes contact to the outer surface to when the chemical can be detected on the inner surface. The higher the breakthrough time, the better protection you receive.

The next key data to look at is the permeation rate. This gives the rate the chemical penetrates the glove. This is measured in milligrams per square meter per second. The slower the rate, the better protection the glove provides. The ideal protective glove will show no permeation rate detected.

***CAUTION***

Do not assume all nitrile gloves will provide the same level of protection. The following chart is not to be used to measure your nitrile glove's chemical resistance. To find out the chemical resistance of a specific glove, ask the manufacturer.

Chemical Resistance Test of Solva-Gard Nitrile Gloves

Ratings:
Excellent - Fluid has no effect | Good - Fluid has minor effect | Fair - Fluid has moderate effect | Poor - Fluid has severe effect