Glossary of Exam Gloves Terms

Absorbable Dusting Powder A powder that acts as a lubricant, making it easy for wearers to don and remove exam gloves. It is made of edible cornstarch and a small amount of magnesium oxide as defined by the United States Pharmacopoeia. Absorbable dusting powder also helps make exam gloves last longer and keeps them from sticking together inside the box for easier dispensing. Accelerator A chemical used as a catalyst to accelerate the process of turning liquid latex into gel form. Essentially, an accelerator shortens the time of set and increases the rate of hardening or strength development. For example, sulfur and zinc oxide are typical compounds used to adjust the softness and tensile strength of latex exam glove products. AQL Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) standards are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for all gloves. This quality specification relates to a glove's freedom from pinholes and typically refers to the barrier protection confidence level. The AQL is used by manufacturers to identify the maximum number of allowable defects (pinholes) per 100 units. A lower AQL number represents a higher quality product. Gloves inspected to an AQL of 2.5 must have fewer than 2.5 defects for every 100 gloves. The FDA specifies an AQL of 1.5 for surgical gloves and 2.5 for exam gloves. ASTM The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) and various international groups develop standards and test methods for exam gloves and a variety of other products. The organizations consists of scientists, engineers and others who have knowledge and experience in the behavior properties of glove materials, manufacturing processes and scientific testing methodologies. This helps to ensure that the tests methods fairly and accurately assess products made from a variety of manufacturing approaches, formulations and materials. Established in 1898, the nonprofit ASTM publishes voluntary consensus principles for materials, products, systems and services in a variety of industries. The FDA uses some of the standards and specifications developed by the ASTM to establish its requirements for examination gloves. B Grade Gloves Commonly called industrial grade gloves or off-line gloves, these disposable gloves are designed for non-medical usage. They are ideal for any type of general purpose use and serve as an excellent entry-level non-medical glove. Calcium Carbonate A chemical compound used to help the release of exam gloves from the hand molds or formers during production. It is a common substance found in rock in all parts of the world and is the main component of seashells and the shell of snails. Eczema A non-contagious, inflammatory condition that causes everything from mild dryness and redness to scaling and crusting. Hand eczema, also known as hand dermatitis, is commonly found in work environments and occurs in about 10 percent of the adult population. Elongation Elongation relates to how far, in percentage of the original sample length, the glove stretches before it breaks. For example, if a 1? sample stretches to 9? before it breaks, the elongation is 800 percent. A higher number is better because it indicates superior elasticity and performance. Latex Natural latex rubber is manufactured from a variety of plants, but mainly from the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, found in Southeast Asia, India and South America. Like maple trees, rubber trees are tapped to collect their milky sap-like liquid. Latex exam gloves are made by dipping molds that look like hands into containers of liquid latex and chemicals. Once hardened, the finished product is stripped off the mold, packaged and sterilized. Leaching A glove manufacturing cleansing process, in which excess chemicals and/or latex protein are dissolved and washed away from the gloves. Modulus Modulus relates to elasticity. A low-modulus exam glove has considerable stretchiness and flexibility, while a high-modulus glove is less supple and elastic. Permeation The movement of a substance through a thin film, such as an exam glove, on a molecular level. The chemical permeation of exam gloves can be measured in accordance to the Breakthrough Time (BTT), which is how long it takes a chemical to establish a permeation rate of one milligram per square meter, per minute through the protective coating. Gloves with the highest BTT offer the best resistance to chemicals. Primary Skin Irritation Test Testing to identify certain material that can trigger skin irritation. The test material, such as a piece of glove material, is attached to the skin of test subjects, such as rabbits or guinea pigs. After a period of time, the sites of application are evaluated for irritation. Rhinitis Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the nose. Rhinitis actually describes a group of symptoms that include runny nose, itching and sneezing. These symptoms may develop as a result of colds or environmental irritants, such as allergens, and can last for weeks or even longer. Sensitization The process of developing an allergy. According to a latex allergy alert published by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the incidence of latex sensitization among healthcare workers is estimated to be between 8 and 12 percent. Tensile Strength How much force in pounds per square inch (psi) is required to stretch an exam glove until it breaks. Tensile strength is expressed in Mpa, and higher numbers reflect superior performance. Vulcanization A type of manufacturing process in which latex exam gloves are treated and hardened from gel form into a solid state inside a heating oven. This curing process is necessary so that the polymer chains of the rubber elastomers are cross-linked, giving latex exam gloves the elasticity for which they are prized. Curing agents can involve a variety of chemicals, including peroxides and agents such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane and trimethacrylate. Back to top